All was Well
by Anderius Watcher
Summary: Yet another normal undertale fanfic... or is it? Who knows? What do you think about this clash of universes? I believe this will be very, very interesting to see... Wait what is this? Ahh... Future and Yore... I see you... DeltaRune/Undertale Crossover! AU! FriskxAsriel! Not Complete.
1. Disclaimer: Updated!

I do not own Undertale nor the characters. That is Toby Fox's Title. I only own this synthesis, capisce?

Songs shown in here belong to their proper Authors, not to the author of this fanfiction.

The author apologizes for the errors on this, he has a floppy disk size memory.

The Image was created by me with the use of some modified images and Photoshop software. Ergo, the respective original images are intellectual property of the original owner.

Edit:

Undertale and DeltaRune belong to Toby Fox.

I am bar some weebo writing Fanfiction.

I don't own the music either.

Also, sorry for the laggard pace of the first two chapters, you'll see why it happens later. ;)

Enjoy!


	2. Fallen Down

**For the Disclaimer, refer to the disclaimer.** **This is a Short chapter, just to attempt to put it all in course.**

- _Division_ *

My bones were algid, with the deluge that had been mightily pouring over the forest on the mountainside. Withal, it helped me to wash off the well-known sensation of despair that surrounded my soul. No tears. None at all, for at last, I knew true freedom from the claws of the darkness. The howls of rage still resounded within me, though, which chilled my will, albeit the pain had been lost long ago. I lifted my head with a beleaguered look in my dark eyes, avidly looking for refuge against the weather.

''Those who climb Mt. Ebbot, never come back.''

I knew the legends, howbeit, I did not believe them as true.

-"And even if they were true" – I thought, mentally sighing. "it does not matter to me nor anyone else.''

The rain ran through my face, as my eyes avidly looked for a refuge from such maelstrom. The wind howled in rage whilst thundering bellows from fallen light were heard at a distance. I was determined to survive, I kept looking, refusing to fall to the weariness that filled me. Unexpectedly, I descried a gaping hole in the wall of the mountain, a refuge against the raging storm. My pace quickened to the point of being almost running. "Cracshl! Splash! Thud!" Echoed my boots in the middle of the darkness. With no fear of being encountered..

I was free…

I was free…

- _Division_ *

Thunderbolt and lighting that weren't that frightening were seen at the distance, splashing an eerie light over the forest floor. As I observed outwards, a reality dawned on me. Albeit I was unbound, what was the next step? Live like a savage in the deepest parts of the forest? I pensively stared at the rain from my covered haven that was the cave. I was chilled to the root from being in the rain for so long. I hugged myself with hopes of keeping all the heat within me in there. I wanted to cage it within my blood, not to be uncomfortable bar for survival, to little avail. I deeply sighed, seeing my breath elevating in a gelid puff of smoke. Suddenly, a curse escaped my lips, for in that moment, I could have sworn I had not felt such a lack of temperature in my 16 years of existence, as polar winds circled around the entrance of my current refuge. I swiftly jumped to my feet, before blindly running deeper into the cave, yearning for a place where the jaws of a late winter could not touch me. I had not realized err until I felt a swift tug in my boot, before plummeting into a caliginous space. The shadows enveloped me soon after, before, as if I was in another dimension, a plangent impinge reached my ears, not even a second passes, before reality had died to me, and conscience left my body.

- _Division_ *

 **I can not promise when or if the next chapter coming is. It all depends on if my brain desires to be inspired (AKA seldom)** **Thus, I apologize if it takes me too long.** **See you!!**


	3. Home

**For the disclaimer, refer to the disclaimer**

 ***Mad typing at the beats of Valentine by Wintergatan***

 **:DD !**

 **FUHUHUHU!**

 **DONE!**

 ***WriteMachine2000: check***

 ***Translating Cosmic Language into English***

 ***1%***

 **-*Machine gets kicked*-**

 ***Complete!***

 **Hit it!**

 **ok...**

 ***Author's head gets hit***

 **Sans! I meant the machine!**

 **ok**

 **3..**

 **2..**

 **1..**

 **-*Division*-**

-"Urghh"- I groaned in major displeasure. My head ached, no, my whole body had a circulating feeling of slight ache, ambivalent sensations of pain and numbness. Sweet-smelling bristles slightly tickled my nose, confiding me with the sense that I was alive; I slowly opened my eyes, letting the lingering light spill on them. I swiftly blinked, gaining glimpses of blond and verdant shadows. I realized, my body was laying sideways on a small flowerbed, of exquisite colors ranging from the emerald tones of their stems, and the cream pastels of the buttons, to the soft gold, of warm and creamy richness that were their petals, which I softly stroked, bringing a slight smile to my drowsy face. Strands of light softly bounced from the velvety flowers, pouring from the lukewarm autumn sun. I positioned my sore arms in a way that would let me stand up... before it stung me...

A pulsing pain coursed my body, which made me mutter a curse, I attempted again, Determined to stand up, however, my only accomplishment was to turn towards the distant cavern ceiling.

A deep feeling of disbelief flowed within me, twice I blinked, to again stare at the hole that seemed truly afar from where I was emplaced at the moment. I peeled my eyes, trying to grasp what had occurred... Somehow, I had survived a potentially lethal plunge into a solid floor of granite, only covered by a flower bed and (after I had buried my hand in the moist soil) A seemingly shallow amount of dirt. My wonder then shifted how such asthenic plants had survived to be in such healthy conditions in this environment. With no little asperity, I stood up, before staring at the flowers, mashed against the dirt, in a very beknown shape: Me. My eyes avidly glanced around, looking for a way to get out of the dank cave I was within. A sigh escaped my lips, for I had already fallen in an antre just a day after...

"Oh well" I thought to myself, frowning slightly, which disappeared into the void as a resolute fire sparkled on my eyes. "Now that I have fallen in the mess, it is time to clean it." I scanned the area, before gazing towards a gaping hole in the wall, that albeit it was distant, was nevertheless similar to a doorway. I clenched my teeth, knowing what was coming (for at the moment I stood up, it made itself present), before I took a step...

It all began with a tingle at the tip of many nerves within my right foot, that tingle began traversing through the nerve at the speed of light, caressing every single fiber, although not for enjoyment. Unexpectedly, another trekking pulse coupled with the primeval pang, and this occurred an innumerable amount of times, traveling from the plants of my foot, through my leg up, and it all moved, my spine realized, my heart realized, they all knew, bar I, of what forthcoming was, all in a milliseconds, before it reached the pain receptors in my brain, making me flinch; the caress was baleful, pain it had created for me. Another step, another wince retorted within my soul, 3rd., 4th, 5th... I don't know how many steps I walked before I began pace in a manner that would not aggravate the pulses that originated from my ankle.

It hurt, howbeit, it was trivial to me, any opportunity of escape was there, a present doorway, plain and grim, withal, an opportunity. How much time I spent limping towards such? I don't know, for me, the clock had stopped ticking, forever ago, how long had I been up? I don't know, even so, I finally had reached my destination. My roughened hand caressed the glacial rock, before gripping it, shifting my weight towards such. My injured leg had tremors of relief when my body's burden was removed from it, had it had a mouth, gratefulness it would have expressed. With antsy, I looked around the newfound cave, resolute and invigorated by the hope given by what I was holding now, this small granite chamber I had found was of undersized dimensions compared to the one I had come from, withal, although a mostly analogous patch of flowers rested in the middle of the chamber, such contained a bunyanesque flower, twin to the surrounding flowers, which glistened with a slight aura of peacefulness, the flower, which towered at around a foot tall, was positioned in a manner in which it seemed content and meditative. I stared at it almost to a stern degree, for curious I was, not only had it survived in such arduous conditions, bar it had reached a handsomely sizable dimension, and how come it had such a degree of personification?

My nose began to annoyingly itch, which prompted me to gasp a mouthful of air, which then with topmost rush escaped my body, as if I was a biohazard to it.

-"Oh... shoot.."- My train of thought brought before it happened.

-"Atchuu!"- I loudly sneezed, making me shake slightly. -"Bloody dust"- I muttered, not without a certain degree of exasperation. Unbeknownst to me though, was that such feeling would transmute into an utter and pure mix of cold apprehension and shock. Two words, that was the only thing that had caused them.

"Erm... Howdy?"- A juvenile voice spoke, in a tone that was slightly startled, probably due to my recent outburst.

I warily lifted my head, just to see the gargantuan golden flower staring at me curiously, with its... their... shir...? Large eyes, black and reflective, which had a small glint of curiosity. I tried to utter, words, failing miserably, because they only came out as swiftly spoken stutterings. I attempted to calm myself, barely succeeding moments later. I decided that the best would be to answer the flower, for even if it was a product of my imagination (which I had taken as the top of my list in possibilities) , it would be simply not right to keep quiet. I mustered strength and shakily answered.

"H-hello..." -I attempted to approach them; however, it had slipped from my mind the fact that my left leg was injured, making me moan in pain. I instinctively shut my eyes with a clamping force, as I gritted my teeth due to such mishap. Unexpectedly, though, I heard a gasp, followed by a roaring sound, as if a large tree was being unearthed from the grasp of its mother Earth. I opened my eyes to an unsettling sight, instead of a flower, a golem-like creature stood in front of me. Clad in cream and green roots, it towered over me, though not bar a protective posture. A strong arm swiftly grabbed my back, attempting to provide me with support as the voice I had heard earlier spoke to me, worrisome in tone.

"Everything will be OK, just try to lie down without damaging your leg to a higher degree." -I did so as they indicated me; the flower Golem began to hover their left hand over the bruised are. Unexpectedly, a warm light began to exude from it, bathing my leg; a healing tingle resonating within the damaged muscle. The pain began to recede as I stared at my suboptimal leg("A leg-acy of my pitfall here"- I thought), feeling how the pain receded from an embrace to an annoying pinch. I looked, to see the same flower, smiling at me uneasily.

-"Thank stars it was only a sprain."- He said, before helping me to stand up. I attempted to lower my leg, yet, he warned me.-" The magic has not reached full effect, thus, if you try to walk you might damage your leg more. Just wait a couple of hours, for now, I will help you."

-"I... Thank you very much for helping me..."- I sincerely said with a smile, by now, any chance of hallucinations was gone, for aside from the fact that I felt how a thick... root? was supporting me through back; It is withal significant to mention that the pain felt very, very real.

-"Do not worry about it."- He answered back, with an assured smile. – "I do what I can".

We steadily began to walk (or in my case, hop) towards the other side of the dimly lit room, I wondrously glanced around, noticing the glinting crystals, tears of the primordial earth engraved in her flesh forevermore. My glance directed towards my Savior from a excruciating torture. It was granted that I had not an utmost amount of trust of him; howbeit, they just... seemed trustable. I then realized that I did not know their name, nor their gender, for that matter. Within me, I ingatered determination, before exhaling the words.

-"Erm... so..."- I stammered.

-"hmm?"-

-"Are you male or female?"- Immediately, I facepalmed with embarrassment. For I had then realized, I had ***bleat*** up, my mind was scrambled, thus, my tongue grabbed the first words that it could find, which coetaneously were the words I would have, first and foremost, attempted to mentally drop in the garbage can. My face was utterly blushed, reflecting a deep red on my pale skin.

-"S-sorry"- I stammered, almost begging the heavens that the earth devoured me, which is kind of ironic.

The Golem heartily laughed, clearly not offended for my reckless question. "Do not worry"- They said, before looking at my face, which had a clear stamp of mortification.-" It occurs, in this case, I guess I am a male...?"- The smile on his face morphing into a frown of bemused thoughtfulness. "Oh.. and... I am Flowey, Flowey the Flower."- He said, his smile returning.

I looked towards him, our faces akin, before I positioned my hand in the front of the small space between us. -"I am... Frisk..."- I stammered, almost whispering. I felt him stopping for a moment, before shaking my hand.

-"It is very nice to meet you, Frisk."-

-"Nice to meet you too, Flowey..."-

 **-*Division*- (Author Note: If you would like some background music, I would recommend you to begin playing "Ruins" here)**

Our walk proceeded through corridors of stone, eventually shifting into brickwork of violet tones. Ancient looking runes were arrayed in an unpatterned manner, all in all, a splendor and glimpse of days past. My eyes could only marvel at such beauty, it was breathtaking.

-"Flowey, what is this place?"- I asked my companion in both walk and talk. Indeed, we had been having a conversation about differences and aspects life here (Flowey called it The Underground) and The Surface. The world I left behind.

-"These hallways are what we call "The Ruins""- He said, a tinge of excitement in his voice. I nodded excitedly, attentively looking at his petalous face. -"Ancient corridors connecting the place where you fell and the city of Home which is where we are heading. Plus, it is a nice place to have a picnic." –

As he said this, we passed through an archway, entering a room of rather grand dimensions and beauty. Lush grass glistened besides a stone walkway; and crystal tears of Pearl tones drooped from the ceiling halcyon, submerging the surroundings in an penumbra of clear white. A cool breeze softly caressed my face, relaxing me from all this data overflow that had been creeping upon me since I had woken up in this new world, and bringing me the sweet, fresh aroma that emanated from the soul of the room itself. The aura was merely Arcadian, simply stated. In the opposite side of the room, a stairway ascended towards a cardinal portal, which stood everlasting in all its glory.

-"Flowey"- I said whilst I stared around such a wondrous chamber–"This place is astonishing."-

-"Indeed"- He answered, looking at me warmly –"This is a nice place to relax after a day of work, or simply mellow out during your free time."-

I nodded with percipience at this. Before swiftly doing a bantam leap, for I had been startled by a peculiar sound.

-"ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ"- The sound came from beside the road.-"ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ"- The source from such was a small ghost that was lying on the grass, loudly saying "Z", pretending to be asleep. Their blank eyes, sad and depressed stared towards the ceiling. A clear white, blanket-like structure hovered above the ground, likely their body; tears streamed from their eyes, slowly plunging towards the... burnt..? Ground. Flowey's grin widened as he looked at them, it was obvious that if they were not his friend and least he knew them.

–"Howdy Blooky!"- He saluted excitedly. –"How are you?"-

-"...oh... hi flowey..."- Said the ghost as they stood up, their resonant voice doleful and languid. –" I guess i'm fine just not feeling up to anything now. sorry"

-"I see"- Says Flowey pensively. –"Oh! Blooky, this is Frisk- He introduces me excitedly, whilst I timidly wave my hand in a greeting manner, before saying "Hi". –"She just fell down, so we are now going to the Med Center"- Flowey kept explaining.

-"oh... hi frisk... it is nice to meet you..."-

-"Nice m-meeting you too"- I replied with a smile.

-"oh.. and..."- His tears began to defy gravity as they piled in a hat shape. –"i have been working on this. i call it dapper-blook... what do you think? sorry for the annoyance"

-"I think it looks pretty nice on you"- I answered truthfully. –"It makes you look pretty chic. What do you think Flowey?"-

-"He looks pretty sharp on it, a nice bowtie and he would be ready for a dress party"-

-" oh... thanks... i typically come to this park to have some peace, thought I met some nice people today... which I guess is nice ugh... sorry... i am rambling... i guess i'll see you both later..."- We attempted to say something, however; they already had silently vanished.

-"Flowey, I apologize for asking, however, were they OK"- I asked concernedly as we returned to our pace.

-"They have had a pretty rough time"- Flowey said with ruth, a slight frown in place of his beam. –"Their cousins Happstablook and Ragstablook decided to become corporeal, leaving them alone to deal with their generational snail farm."

-"Oh..."- I softly said, almost murmuring.

We stopped at a Spider Bake Sale, and after Flowey offered to buy me a drink (which I refused politely) we apologized to little Larry (Which was how Flowey had referred to him; and albeit he was a spider, he looked so cute! Large eyes full of life on a brown, plush-like body! My instinct was begging me to hug him...) before we began to climb (or in my case, clamber) the stairs that led to the giant door.

The arch was cyclopean up-close! At least 5 times my height in length and at least that from floor to apex! I stared baffled at such structure, made from gargantuan blocks of darker tonalities than the surrounding brickwork, it was a window to a bustling plaza of giant proportions.

-"Welcome to the city of Home"- Flowey said

-"Home?"- I asked curiously.

-"After the barrier went up, we established at the furthest point from it due to fear that humans would chase us. After we found this place, King Asgore decided to call it home. And yes, our King is ***bleat*** at naming."- I was slightly startled by the use of such language by him, though it was not utterly surprising, for aside from the Author... **(Ouch!! Frisk! Stop breaking the 4th wall! That's not your job! Ah... Crud... now I need to fix the mess.)(*Background internal Screaming followed by a sound of a metal eraser being scratched on whale fur.*) *Rewind* ...** For basically everyone cussed, right? We walked through the plaza, Flowey happily saluting and waving to people from time to time. The place was bustling with monsters of all comes, shapes and sizes, from small, bunny-like balls of Fluff to armored giants carrying metal staffs. I looked around, grasping the immensity of this place, everything seemed carved out of stone with the exception of the plants, giant skyscrapers towered to the... What the heck? I looked up, instead of staring to a cavern ceiling, I was seeing clouds, this cavern seemed to have such proportions that it had it's own climate! I kept gawking at my surroundings, forgetting my sheepish tendencies. The aura was dynamic, diligent in sounds, smells and looks; all in all, my mouth was agape.

We passed through some streets of cobblestone, by now, I had realized that monsterkind technology was far more advanced than human technology back at the surface. From holograms to handheld devices to even hover boards!

-"Light... this place is unbelievable"- I murmured softly.

-"Hmm?"- Asked Flowey.

-"N-Nothing... sorry... just thinking out loud..."-

-"It's OK"- He answered.

We passed besides dark alleyways, endless side streets seemingly there for... convenience? As they were surprisingly clear. Unexpectedly, though, I heard a sound.

-"psst"-

We stopped, as we took a gander to see the source of the sound.

-"psst"-

-"W-Who is it?"- I asked, worried about the incoming seconds. I spotted a short figure in the alleyway closest to us, though their features were blanketed by the shadows of such

-"no-body"- Replied a grave, smooth voice, comicalness present in tone.

-"Nobody who?"- Asked Flowey in an inquisitive tone, realizing too late that the damage had been done, as his eyes broadened to a nearly chimerical extent, his pitch black pupils merely dots in the white expansion of his eyes. –"Shit"- He muttered.

 ***Switch Loop to sans***

-"stars, daisy, didn't know ya could yodel."- (From nowhere, a convenient "badum pssst" resounded) Replied the same voice, revealing them... himself. He was a short (slightly more than myself), chubby skeleton; in his face, a toothy grin plastered. A deep blue jacket with white fur lining was placed over what seemed like a white T-shirt, his bony legs sported black sports Shorts and ended in... ... pink bunny slippers...

-"SANS!"- Flowey shrilled in a crystalline and pure tone of annoyance.-"I'M NOT A DUCKING DAISY!"-

-"geez... drink some chamomile tea, dr.meuss..."- He then turned to me. –"heya, name's sans, sans the skeleton, the local punisher"- He then extended his bony hand. "nice to meat ya"-

-"Im... I'm Frisk... "- I answered nervously, before I proceeded to shake his hand with my free hand–"Nice to meet..."-

Pfffffftttttttttt!

My face went beet red that exact moment as ambivalent feelings flooded me; on one hand, I wanted to run to the other side of the world and die there of mortification, on the other, though, I wanted to release a lung-full of laughter. **(eyyyyyy)**

-"twasn't i"- Replied the skeleton, his beaming smile untouched as he retired the whoopee cushion from his hand. –"heh, good ole trick of the whoopee cushion in the hand, it's ALWAYS funny.-"

-"Heh..."- I said, attempting to hide my laughter. –"Well, how are you?"-

-"meh, just rattling around, playing the trom-bone."- From nowhere, he appears a Trombone and begins playing.

-"Sans..."- Flowey said, a slight tone of annoyance in his voice–" Not her too, first Toriel, then you corrupt Asriel. Please don't bring this child in the ways of the Serif!"- He... begged...?

-"nah, the seed's already within her, only give it time to grow before she herself becomes a punster. Plus, you are smiling!"- He said, showing Flowey an overdrawn shrug.

Flowey's eye twitched for a second, before a gust of air escaped his lips."- Yes, and I hate it! Thought I guess we got to keep going, as Frisk here has to go to the MC to be

-"welp, gotta go too, gramps and paps are probably trying to kill each other by now, see ya!"- And with this, he walked behind a conveniently shaped lamp, disappearing from the scene.

I began to wonder why these creatures were called "Monsters", for it seemed they were of a rather more cheerful nature than humans, even when they were trapped under a mountain. Around me, monsters jovially laughed, and had a mirthful time; an utter contrast with the surface. I realized that I had arrived in an Utopia, a peaceable place where who you are matters, not your image.

We finally arrived at our destination, a monolithic structure made from the same soft, dark granite that made up the caves. We traipsed through a side entrance, seemingly unnoticed by most passing monsters, after passing through a large door which had scanned us aforehandly, we encountered ourselves in an room, a security post guarded by a rather large armored dog.

-"Woof Woof!"- they barked excitedly, after quickly having sniffed us. It was remarkable to say that, I actually understood his bark, as it would be translated as "I salute thee, and truly hope you have an excellent day!".

-"Hope you have a great day you too, Greater Dog!"- Said Flowey.

Greater dog then proceeded to make a call, before relating us to the room where, according to Flowey, a health state revision would be performed on me. This made me uneasy and restless, for there were certain details I would rather keep to myself. I had ascertained that in the surface, the results of medical revisions would be undisclosed, however, I was not assured that the coequal would be the case here. Moreover, what about the costs?! I did not want to cause any trouble to these kind creatures, especially after they have already helped me to such major levels.

 **-*Division*- (End Ruins)**

Room W-217, where on a hospital bed I had been sitting now. Minutes earlier, Flowey had to apologetically retire, though he told me that it was going to be of great plausibility that we were going to meet again. I stared at the blank walls, baby blue lining present around such, before I deeply breathed the aseptic air. It was time to plan for the forthcoming. I sat meditatively, synthesizing the occurrences and surroundings, about the yore and present, before I was startled by the room's door being opened. A tall dog-like monster entered, she (as her facial features were rather feminine) had unstained, white fur enshrouded the skin on her uncovered parts (Her head, neck; and hand... paws?), her face had aristocratic features as she had bony cheekbones, and rather thick lips that curved in a slight, benevolent smile. Her gray eyes, filled with intelligence felt as if they were boring gaping holes as they were staring towards my soul. She extended her paw in a greeting manner.

-"I am Dr. Doge, it is very nice to meet you, Frisk"- She said calmly, her smile still present.

-"It is very nice to meet you too, Dr. "- I said with a grin, attempting to hide my inner thoughts, before I shook her paw, warm and soft to the touch it was.

Her smile slightly widened at this, before she extracted a handheld, rectangular object of rather dark tones, from a pocket in her uniform. She seemed to enter some commands into it, before she glanced at me, noting the curious looks I was giving to such singular device.

–" Oh... this is a COCA, a Command Operator of Central Applications, it is typically utilized to control the different instruments necessary to perform a certain job."- She explained, to which I nodded comprehensively.

From a cabinet, an levitating contraption appeared, it looked rather similar to certain electronics people carted in the surface, they called them "MyPads". Howbeit, the variation from the surface did not defy gravity, and withal they were of smaller dimensions, since this one was near the length of my arm!

-"This device will scan your body to determine what treatments you will require to put you in top shape. "- Dr. Doge started to clarify the upcoming process, as I slightly bobbed my head, giving her my utter attention. -"We need to check that you do not have something significant occurring within you. Now, place your hands on the circles that are displayed in the device. You will feel a small shock, aside from that it is painless. And do not worry, I have heard that in the surface the costs in the fields of medicine are exorbitant, however here it is all paid by the Medicinal Fund."- This last part was her reaction to, what my supposition was, a panicked look in my eyes (though uncaused by such concern) ;and was said with disdain and judder, owning to the concept itself. I did as I had been ordained, and as I was made construed, a rather smallish jolt of magic squirmed through my slender frame, making me jig momentarily. I retired my hands from the hovering device, as I glimpsed towards the canine physician, her eyes widened as she avidly skimmed through the report. My face was utterly flustered, for what I would have preferred to have remained in covert had been unbosomed by the being in front of me.

A deep sigh of a rather crestfallen nature escaped her lips, in her eyes a sorrowful glint weakly sparkled, drowning in the mental storm she seemed to be attempting to suppress. Ruefulness for the sins marked on my body caressed my spine, letting a cold shiver invade my motor system. Dr. Doge snapped from her silent rage, and clothed her face in a motionless neutrality; before a deep breath preceded spoken words.

-"The treatment you necessitate will require a period of 12 hours to completely restore your health to an optimal level. The restrooms are seven doors up the hall, to the left. Please, do get all your necessities done before coming back, as you will have to be unconscious for the treatment to be effectual to an optimal level."- The tone in her voice was layered, neutral; although hoarseness was present, contrasting with the original profound smoothness her voice presented. –" Though please, do retire your right boot for a moment, as I need to inspect the state of your ankle.

I nodded softly, before I began to untie the right of the oversized boots I had been wearing over my bare skin. After I had retired it, I carefully placed my foot over the bed I was sitting on, my mouth shut at the mild pain that emanated from such a small place; before she proceeded to place her paw on my injured ankle. Lilliputian streams of acid green light began to creep around my foot and leg, slowly crawling as if they were workman, before unexpectedly fading under my skin. The being in front of me retired her paw, as I checked my ankle, with zero success in encountering any throe.

I gave a silent thanks towards Dr.Doge, who later pointed me the direction towards the lavatory, in case I wanted to clean myself, or at least have a moment of solitude. Which reason was it? Now matters not, I thanked her, and, putting my boot on again, followed her directions. All I did was breating out an arcadian sigh at not feeling the stinging physical pain in my ankle.

 **-*Division*-**

I blankly stared at my reflection, thinking about what had occurred this day. About how I was received in a new world... How I had already made new friends... I was thankful... simply stated... I had left it all behind, and begun in zero. I looked at myself, if we were to categorize, I have short, hazelnut hair, roughly cut in what I remember is called a "Bob style". Rather fair skin; and "Round Asiatic Eyes" of a warm, caramel color, which is how Mom had called them long ago...

4'11" would be the measure of 1 Frisk tall, and a rather thin, bony frame my body would be.

-"Woof!"- My ruminative contemplation was broken by a vigorous bark. My eyes darted towards the floor, there, a small, white dog stood with a wide smile, his tail wagging energetically. Pillowy fur covered him, it looked so velvety...

My wonder never shifted to how he had entered the sealed restroom I was in, for my senses were blocked by my instinct, and in my brain, only one word lingered:

-"Puppy!"-

The dog's eyes unexpectedly widened to an impossible extent, and of course, they mirrored the thoughts "Oh Crap, this is a fangirl! Abort! Abort!" as I picked him up. Any resistance on his behalf immediately ceased as I began scratching his ears, his body reaching a state of floppiness as his smile contorted into pure bliss. My inner maelstrom began to recede for a second, as I calmly began to think about nothing. Minutes passed, before the door to the restroom I was in was swiftly knocked.

-"Frisk? Is everything OK?"- I heard Dr. Doge calling. I almost dropped the dog in surprise, who jumped from my arms before barking excitedly. I swiftly opened the sink, and began to rapidly scrub off the fur of the dog that had sticked to my skin.

-"E-everything is OK Doctor. I apologize, I was caught in my thoughts"- I said shamefully as I dried my hands, I then rushed to open the door, motherly eyes warmly staring at me.

-"Do not worry, it is OK, for it means that you can think about your situation, and not move mindlessly like the subjects within a book."- She said this as she blinked towards nobody nor nowhere.

 **( (-_-) I need to get thicker curtains.)**

For some reason, I felt as if this comment deeply annoyed a being in another dimension. Though I ignored it and followed the doctor back to the room, not before glancing towards the restroom, the empty restroom.

 **(ASAP!)**

Back at the room I was originally in, Dr. Doge provided me with a flask, a copper colored liquid flowing within it. And at her indication, I swallowed the contents. Cold metal with a touch of sugar was the taste, as I felt it beginning to flow.

-"What was in that flask?"- I shyly asked, a borderline murmur lost in the arcadian buzzing of magic and electricity around us.

-"It was a nanobotic supplement designed to reestablish an optimum health in both matter and magic based creatures, in other words, small robots will make you healthy"-

"Do not worry, it will all be ok. Tomorrow you will have visitors that would love to greet you to our home. Though, for now, do not worry, and rest.-"she said in a soothing tone as I lost consciousness.

 **Finally... I was so tired of being a PROCRASTINATOR... Pity I am still one... ;-;**

 **In any case, could you please tell me what you think about the chaptee in the comments?**

 **It would be truthfully of great assistance for me. (:-))**

 **Now I have to clean all the mess they did to my wall... [-_-]**

 **Welp, see you next time on All was Well.**

 **Annnd... Cut!**

 **(Background sounds)**

 **Sans! Come and help me with this!**

 **nah... i worked myself to the bone in that scene...**

 **Stop being a lazy sack of bones and get up!**

 **Hey! Just let the smiley trasbag be, they already have tortured him too much with all that fanfiction!**

 **Ok Chara [-_-]**

 **Anyways, how did we even get here?**

 **Don't know Azzy, ask him!**

 **Wait... is that a camera?**

 **Howdy! It's me! Asriel Dreemurr! And welcome to yet another show of "We like to make our Author suffer by breaking the 4th wall!".In this instance, we present:A. Watcher!**

 **... Remind me to get better a lock for this place...**

 **Undyne shall break it!**

 **-*Unamused*- *Begins to patch up the wall with Dog Residue***

 **Don't you have anything better to do?**

 **I don't know... read other FanFiction...**

 **Or listen to some Music...**

 **I personally recommend the Undertale Soundtrack...**

 **Don't you have homework?**

 **(It's Summer...)**

 **Dang it!**

 **NYHEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!**


	4. Among Dreamers

**For the Disclaimer, Refer to the Disclaimer.** **In advance, I apologize for the terrible description of the _Chara_ cter**

 **Hope you enjoy!**

 **And yes, I did get thicker curtains and new loc...** ***Play Spear of Justice***

 ***Unexpectedly, the door burst at its seams, as a Tall, Fish-like monster enters with a mad grin***

 **"Fuhuhuhu! Did you call that a challenge? I did not even need to kick that hard!"**

 **I need to Undyne-proof this place...** (-_-)

 **3..** **2...** **1...** **Begins!!**

 **Madly twerking with Gaster to the Rhythm of Echo.**

 **:-D**

 **-Translating Ridiculous Dance into English.**

 **-Complete!**

 ***Warning: Machine Crapifier requires maintenance.***

 **Darn it!!**

An infinite expanse of lightlessness was present in front of me. Nor feeling nor numbness I felt, bar an utter sense of knowing that I was alive and conscious. I was not in the void….

I was the void.

-"Do you think she is OK, Chara?"-

A distant voice called, almost a lost echo from distances afar. Soft, youthful and vibrant in an infinite curiosity for life it was.

-"Don't know Azzy, why don't you try to get a closer look?"- A deeper, silk-like voice answered, though still retaining that thriving reverberation that marked the flower of youth, and blending with clip and posh in undertone. Possibly "Chara" was the speaker, whilst the other would be "Azzy". Azzy, that nickname sparked a memories, though I could not quite put my finger on them.

I thought I heard a murmur, "This… fluffy...", before an aghast yelp shook my current state; followed by four hearty chortles.

-"Ahhh!!! She got me!!"- The voice I recognized as "Azzy" was the source of the yelp of yore.

-"See Azzy?"- Chara teased –"She has not met you yet, and already acknowledges you as a life-sized plushy!"-

-"Bahhh!!! Chara!"- Azzy bleated in annoyance.

-"Admit it son, you both do look kind of cute in that position."- A sweet, motherly voice chuckled teasingly.

-"Mom! You are not helping!"-

Unexpectedly, my void began to shatter, as a whirlwind of light, colors and sensations began to flood my senses. The last words I heard where uttered in grave, gentle tones by a voice unbeknownst to me hitherto.

-"Ok, OK.. Settle down, my dear children. I believe she is waking up…"-

I opened my eyes.

First and foremost, I want to say in my defense that I had not expected to see 2 Crimson, cat-like irises staring into my soul. Yes, I admit they looked bar kind of affrighted. Even then, they were inches from my face, damn it! So don't give me a hard time! (Wait… who am I talking to?...)

In any case, the obvious occurred:

-"AHHHHHHHHH!!!"- We both cried in alarm, as the rest of the room bursted into a fit of wholesome laughter. Mortification inundated my mind, as heat rose to my cheeks; which intensified tenfold as I realized the position in which I had the poor creature in front of me.

-"Erm… err.. ahrr…"- I attempted to utter words in any understandable language after unleashing the being between my arms, whom I identified as "Azzy". Though my attempts were, merely a miserable failure. I spotted Dr. Doge smiling at me, her fur reflecting a faint, pink tone, clearly a product of what happened after my recent woe.

-"I can see that you have perfectly recovered with the treatment"- She calmly said. –"Your state of health is excellent, thus, you are ready to be discharged."- I slightly nodded at this. –" Oh, and remember yester-night? Well, as I have aforementioned, you have visitors. Your friend Flowey told the Royal Family about you, and where you were, and so, here they are!"- She said this as she signaled towards the four entities beside her.

The most notorious was a rather king-sized monster. In both height and breadth he exceeded human standards. A warm, gentle face, mostly dominated by a blonde beard looked at me kindly, with large horns protruding from his head. Though his image resembled that of a goat, as cottony fur covered his being, he was closer to a humanoid appearance, large muscular hands played thumb wars against each other, and were connected to his pink, Hawaiian shirt covered body through arms of similar qualities. To complement his choice of upper fashion, shorts, of what in the surface were recognized as "Caquis" covered his hirsute legs down to cat-like, bare paws. Although fierce looking at first glance, his true image was bar that of an oversized Teddy bear, although with a rather Royal aura.

She, on the other hand, balanced his fierce image, a motherly aura permeating around her. Of a rather stout frame, she stood with the presence of a bulwark, a lucent counterpoise to her maternal crust. Her features where finer than her consort's, with smaller horns standing out, in the middle of the velvet-like fur on her head , and features of a more feminine stance. A calm smile curved her delicate lips upwards, and complemented the serene glint in her crimson eyes. A Sakura patterned kimono covered her being, indeed, a near doppelgänger blend with her connubial partner.

Accompanying them were two younger beings, "Azzy" and "Chara". Azzy looked just like his parents, though "Azzy" lacked horns. Green and yellow stripes covered his long-sleeved T-shirt, and shorts matching his father's composed his lower apparel. In contrast with his family, Chara was not a monster, but a human. His Bob-style cut hair resembled mine, except for the fact that the coloration in his hair was of darker tones, approaching a rather dark, chocolate brown. His facial features were rather Aristocratic, for he had high cheekbones and rather thin lips, and a slight flush on his cheeks contrasting his blanch skin. Almond shaped eyes, and bright red irises glistened in the colorless light. And a slight smirk of amusement present was on his face, perhaps a byproduct of the friendly chaff towards his brother. Ebony colored clothes covered most of his skin, excluding his hands, neck and face, of jacket and jeans was his style with knee high boots, fitting for a combat zone.

Two words lingered in my mind, "Royal Family". And light! I had almost hugged to death their son! My face had the coloration of a tomato, as my train of thought went overdrive, before…

Frisk.exe has stopped working.

 **(Play Wrong Number song)**

 **(We apologize for the interruption of this First Person POV, the signal for your preferred narration style will be back after the technical problem has been resolved. *Tranquil music begins to play, before stopping.*)**

 **(*Change of channel to Third Person POV*)**

 **(Stop Wrong Number song)**

Asriel was curiously staring at the human sitting a mere two feet in front of him. It was outlandish the fact that she had a very great resemblance to his brother Chara, howbeit, something felt amiss, until he noticed her eyes. Glazed over and unblinking..

-"M-mom… I think we broke her…"- He said, a tinge of fear mixed throughout his voice.

-"I am afraid so…"- Said Dr. Doge as she showed them the information in her COCA… which literally said "Frisk.exe has stopped working". Simultaneous to this, though, was the aforementioned mechanically standing from her bed, before respectfully kneeling in front of the Dreemurrs.

-"Y-your M-majesty,"- She said, dread chilling her blood.–"I am for my a-actions…. I-it was not my intention to hug y-your son…-"

This was answered by a whirlwind of giggles and chuckles on behalf of the other ones present. –"Do not worry, ."- Said King Asgore soothingly, as he kneeled in front of her slightly quivering form.-"we can't blame you when our bodies are covered with fur, plus, you were asleep, a moment when your body doesn't care about common sense and looks for the closest thing to be comfortable… And please, do stop with the formalities, I am and look old as it is! I do not need to feel like such!"- An exaggerated tone of woe flowing within his grave voice as he mentioned this last. He then proceeded to stand up, before extending her hand at her. She grabbed it before pulling herself up.

 ***Signal Recovered, Switching back to Frisk's POV, thank you for your patience***

To say that I was dumbstruck would be a major understatement. I had no knowledge of what to do at this moment. I simply decided to meekly keep quiet, for there was no other thing to do, except to await judgement. –"Yes, sir…"- I softly muttered, undecided whether to look front or look to the ground.

-"Bahahaha!"- The King gave a Hale, whole-souled laughed. –"Just call me Asgore, my child."- He said with a genial beam in his face. -"And where are my manners! For star's sake!"- He raised his voice with some exasperation towards himself, though making me jump a little.

-"Gorey… you are frightening her…"- The motherly monster said calmly.

-"R-right… I apologize..."- The Fluffy Ruler answered. –"As I was saying, this is my wife Toriel, and our children Asriel and Chara."-

-"Howdy! I'm Asriel!"- Said the younger monster vigorously.

-"Salutations, my Child, I am Toriel."- Said Toriel, great bonhomie present in her words, an endearing smile in her face.

Chara waved his left hand. –"I'm Chara"- before leaning on the wall. –"Welcome to the Underground"- He said neutrally, his face imitating his tone.

To this, Asriel rolled his eyes. –"Come on, Chara"- He said, a devilish smirk in his face. –"I wonder why when you meet people you want to make them think you are so un-Chara-ing"- He punned. This stopped momentarily shook my scared stance, as Chara grunted with annoyance in response to the name-based pun that was thrown to him, as Asgore simply pinched his nose, murmuring –"That damn skeleton!"-. Toriel, on the other hand, was proudly beaming at her son.

-"Heh…"- I lightly chuckled to his pun… Pun… Light, that's where I had heard the name of the Prince before! It seemed that both sans and Flowey were close to the Royal family, albeit King Ashore did not seemed deeply fond of sans. A slight sigh escaped my lips, as I DETERMINEDLY gathered courage, before softly speaking, attempting not to err. –" My name is Frisk, it is very nice to meet you all. And I want to t-thank you for the help you have provided me with. I am ay your orders, and hope I can repay your kindness, your Majes… I mean, Asgore and Queen Toriel.-"

This was received with a warm smile from the Dreemurr Family, albeit The Queen insisted me to call her Toriel. Before Dr. Doge spoke, assurance in her tone. –"It seems that Frisk has successfully completed treatment. Thus, she is ready to be discharged."- A smile crept on her lips. –"I know you will do well, Frisk. There are always times to begin again."-

My face momentarily reddened in fluster, she had read my report… she knew… though had assured me that it all would be confidential. Plus, her comment did not appeared to be correlated to it, bar to something outside of my knowledge.

I sincerely smiled to her, before standing up. I softly placed a hand in her shoulder, and looked straight into her dark eyes. –"Thank you, doctor; for everything."-

-"You are very welcome, Frisk."- She serenely responded. –"Though I now must retire, as I have to monitor another patient. Take care."- She then turned towards the Dreemurrs. –"I apologize, for I must leave and attend another patient. Frisk is healthy now, though I can not provide you with the pre-treatment report. I hope you have an excellent day."- She said

-"Do not have any concern, Argenta."- Toriel said. –"We are going to talk with her, though. So, would you mind if we stay a bit before we get going?"-

-"Do not worry, Toriel."- Dr. Doge replied.–"Take all the time you need."- And with this, she quietly left the room.

-"Well,"- Said Toriel calmly. –"Although we have just met, we would like invite you to stay with us at our house. Thus, you could begin to adapt to the underground."-

-"I-I would not like to cause you any trouble... A-and..."- I answered, my face beginning to warm up.

-"Please, do not have concern on this, Frisk."- In a friendly locution said King Asgore. -"There would not be any trouble if you stay with us. And, I had forgotten that you did not know that you cannot leave The Underground. As The Seal surrounds it, it is a one way trip, once towards, never to leave."-

My head lightened at this, attempting to grasp the newfound concept. A flood of memories began to wash my mind, reminding me of the yore in the world I had left, of my late Mother, and the good moments before the accident happened. Nevertheless, the ponderous darkness that raucously invaded my life for years after arrived, as my eyes clouded for a second. A languid sigh escaped my lips, I knew that what was significant, pivotal to create who I am, yet, it was time to think in the present. Though my decision… that would be the truly challenging matter.

I gave a minute nod to this, although I simply just… could not… feelings of guilt lingered within my mind and soul, for I felt I would be an onus to monsterkind… though deep within me, a determined instinct to accept the offer refused to reach a quietus. I might not be able to ever repay their kindness, yet, I was DETERMINED to not let them down. I was going to help, even if at first I needed support for my baby steps. An enfeebled sigh escaped my lips, as my eyes locked with the Ruler's, earnest gratitude reflecting off them. –" I am truly grateful for your offer, to a degree that it is inexpressible to say through words. Thank you very much, and I… I accept."- I said.

-"Then it is settled."- Said Toriel, beaming as she clasped her hands. –"Please, do get ready, before we check out and trek towards the castle."-

-"I am ready"- I replied with a wide grin, as Toriel looked at me with near-disbelief.

-"Don't you need to garner anything else?"- Inquired Asgore with a raised eyebrow.

-"No, sir."-

-"Very well. Asriel? Chara? We have to go."- Stated Toriel. Whilst Asriel seemed rather thrilled by the situation, Chara, on the other hand, had a Stoic face, making me wonder if he showed any emotion besides neutrality and annoyance. We then exited the MC, and walked through the side streets of Home towards wherever we were going.

And that… is how my… no... Our story began…

 ***Change POV to third view, play E18 by Detektivbyran***

The point of view loses focus of the Scene of the Main Character, before focusing in medieval style glasswork, showing an eye of caramel tones, an ancient style clock of lighter tones within it. Cursive text flowing fetterless, creating the words "An Andy Watcher Production". Unexpectedly, the focus is lost again, and the glass melts, forming and dissolving into an amalgamation of colors and figures. It then begins to clump… some white here… some brown there… in a blink, the dance of the light, camera and matter ends its heartbeat to show the image of a stout monster hugging a child in front of a gargantuan portal. Rivers of ink pouring into the phrase "With basis and inspiration on Undertale".

Unfocus, Focus*

The outline of a Boss Monster appears, filled with pure white, and hovering over a ground of thick, black scales. Inside the monster, a child-sized figure, clad in blood red outline and black inside, their eyes showing both the mercy of an angel, and the terror of a killer, red soul pulsating vigorously. Around it, 7 souls, white, cyan, yellow, blue, green, purple and orange in tone, and watching from the background, 2 yellow cat eyes stare, awaiting for their time. The letters forming 3 words, senseless for the moment, though an story that shall be remembered forevermore embedded deep within them. The legacy of Gods and kings.

"All Was Well"

Unfocus, Focus* The Golden Flower bed where Frisk had fallen.

"Arc 1: Of Falls and Rises."

The camera yet again loses its focal point, before hovering over the party, right beside a broad river of purplish tones. A lone, hooded figure awaiting over a wooden platform, a boat it seems. The face of the figure is draped in lightless shadows, blending well with the tattered cape of deep-blue tones.

-"I was awaiting you, Your Majesties."- A spectral voice spoke.

-"Howdy River Person!"- Saluted King Asgore. –"Could you please take us to New Home?"-

-"Very well."- Responded River Person.

 ***Frisk's POV***

We stepped onto a large wooden platform, which began to leisurely flow downriver. Contrary to stories I had heard, it rather stable, as I barely felt the movement of the flow under the soles of my boots. I admired my surroundings, deep blue tones blending with the shadows of the places not caressed by the dim breath of the lights in the city. I looked towards River Person, before sitting down and let my mind wander.

-"Tralala…. Am I the Riverman? Or Riverwoman? Is it significant? I just like to cruise up and down the Epsolus river, it is quite relaxing."- Their commentary made squinch in surprise, for my thoughts had slipped in their direction.

What came next is bar a blur in my memory, as the boat seemed to speed up time. Dim memories of Cold, Damp and heat stayed in my head, only that. In the end, we arrived to another city, gray stone molding around buildings and blending with the paved streets.

-"Hey Frisk! We are here!"- A young voice called, breaking me from my surreptitiously clinging daze. I looked towards Asriel, who was looking at me curiously.

-"S-sorry… I got caught up in my thoughts."-

-"It's OK, kid."- Said Chara sympathetically. –"I believe everything is quite a lot to process, can't you if you get stuck within your thoughts."-

-"I-I guess…"-

As we disembarked onto a cobblestone deck (before River Person vanished in a cloud of mist), I noticed New Home was not a gargantuan series of towering pillars like Home, and yet it itself had a majestic aura to it. Block over block of carved stone gave the city a hefty feeling, a fortress separating the distant castle from the rest of the underground. From afar, the castle was a towering structure whose tips blended with the shadows at the top of the cavern. Bluish brick covering its gargantuan image.

We walked through slithering streets of cobblestone, gradually sloping before reaching a plateau. Monsters around us greeted the King and Queen as we passed by, although at moments murmuring, probably due to my presence. I sank between my shoulders, overwhelmed; and wanting to camouflage with my surroundings, to become invisible. Eventually, we reached a Small house that connected to the castle. Asgore unlocked the door (which he did by looking into a lens-like contraption) before he, followed by the rest of the Dreemurr family.

-"Hey Frisk! Come inside!"- Said Asriel in his usual cheerful tone.

-"O-Ok…"- I answered as I followed him inside. It was a small, bare room. Aside from the entrance door, only the rails of stairs that led downward were present. The Dreemurrs proceeded to climb them down, before I followed suit.

Their living room was simply stated, a hearthstone. It was a rather spacious room, opposite from the stairs was a fireplace, radiating a relaxing warmth. In front of it, 2 armchairs of tan tones sat, facing each other. And a love seat, and sofa of similar tones were not too far away from such. On the right wall, a large bookcase was present, filled to the brim of leather-bound tomes, nicely contrasting with the dark wooden floor that seamlessly cornered through both corridors present at opposite corners of the room.

-"Welcome Frisk, our house is your house."- Toriel greeted warmly, before turning to her fluffier son. –"Asriel, could you please show Frisk the guest's room whilst your father and I prepare dinner?"

-"Yes, Mom"-

-"And you, young man."- Toriel said as she looked towards Chara. –"You have to complete the algorith and send it to Ridra by next week. Remember last time you sent her something post-due."-

To this, Chara cringed slightly as his everlasting blush intensified. –"Y-yes Mom."- He said as he rushed towards one of the passageways.

-"Well, follow me! Frisk"- Asriel said as he walked towards the passage Chara had just gone into.

The corridor was rather wide (probably almost a foot and a half wider than I am taller), and had 3 dark wood doors. At the end, an ornate ebony door stood unrelenting, as if it was an iron wall.

-"So, this is the main restroom"- Asriel gestured the first door to his left. –"And those are my family's and My room. Mom and dad's, Chara's and mine."- He said as he gestured to each door, closest to furthest, respectively. –"And, you will be staying here."- Asriel then proceeded to open the middle door to his left. The room was clean, and minimalistic. Everything was stylized on white and wooden, with the exception of a rather curious machine sitting on a desk. It was a crystal cube on a small, chamfered metal pedestal, a small keyboard besides a pad on one of it's sides. Asriel then approached one of the two doors in the room,–"Well, this is the closet."- before he opened the other door. –" And this is the bathroom."- The room's bathroom was stylized similarly to the bedroom. A tub, toilet and sink with cabinets. He entered, before crouching besides one of the cabinets, which had a smallish screen besides it. –"This appliance over here is called an "Osmosis Reactor for Removal of lipId substances on Natural And Synthetic fibers", also knowns as an "ORRINAS"; basically you just put you clothes inside and it cleans them. Anyways, so… any… questions…?"-

-"Yes, what is that contraption"- I asked, as I pointed towards the machine on top of the desk.

His eyes sparkled with excitement at my question, before he took a deep breath. -"So this is a Trigonometry-Tried-Tridimensional Translator of Tridimensional Tesseracts into Lightweight objects"- Said Asriel excitedly. –" Or as we know it, a SixT Lite. Utilizing the magic catched by the CORE, and transforms it into physical objects! Just visualize the object, press your paw-… Sorry… I mean hand... in this screen.. Annd… -"- Ensuing this, he pressed the front of his. against the screen, which proceeded to flash, before the machine began to produce a slight whirr. A second after, 2 golden apples materialized in the metal plate within the machine. Asriel grabbed them, before handing me one. –" Well, that's basically it! Unless you were to do heavy modification, which is why the keyboard is there, though I guess we can work that out tomorrow..."- He smiled before he bit into his apple.

I was Impressed by this, matter from thin air… light that is baffling!

I looked at the Apple that he had given me, it was flawless. And… after a bite… simply stated, it was fresh, crisp. All mixed with an unwavering amount of succulent sweetness. At that moment, I had not realized how long it has been since I had eaten anything; yet, I forced myself to refrain from eating more than a bite momentarily.

-"Erm… Asriel?"-

-"Hmm?"- Asriel responded, muffled by a mouthful of his own apple, which had a clear mark of a gargantuan bite.

-"T-thank you…"-

-"Y-you are welcome, F-frisk."-

Only a thick gauche aura was left after he had responded, only pierced by the sound of our mouths ripping and crushing the flesh of our respective fruits.

 **(Author's note: And that is what happens when an antisocial human and a socially awkward monster try to strike a conversation. :' )**

The silence was broken by Asgore, who quietly spoke.

-"It is time for dinner."-

-*Division*-

I stood at the door of the Kitchen/Dining Room, looking towards the wall; after helping Chara set up the table (for I had asked them if I could help with chores, which they insisted was unnecessary; albeit in the end they told me that I could help with certain things). I then realized that I was been given looks, as if something outlandish was occurring.

-"Erm… Frisk?"- Asked Asgore, agita present in his voice. –"Is everything OK?"

Sudden realization hit me, people typically eat together. –"Y-yes… I apologize for zoning out…"- I answered.

We ate in peace, Toriel and Asgore had made a light dinner, nut salad, bread, a rather tangy sauce (which they called Dalein) and a warm, soft tea that induced my fettered mind into an state of calm repose. Simply stated, everything was ambrosial. In the end, I simply entered the restroom, and after relieving and taking a shower; aside from putting my clothes in the ORRINAS as I had done so, I walked towards

the bed, where I let my mind wander on the looming darkness… It was 9:25 PM last time I checked the bedside clock.

 **5:30 AM**

I swiftly jumped from the bed, sweat drenched…

Another nightmare…

A sigh escaped my lips, almost 7 years, and yet I had not gotten accustomed to them. I stood up, before swiftly donning my boots. My eyes glanced towards the holographic clock that dimly lit the room, 5:33 AM, I stood up, and quietly stepped towards the bathroom in the room. I let the cold water slide off my face, awakening me a little more. A dash of water again flew from my hand to my face, before being rubbed off with the same. A reflection of my self bounced off the mirror in front of me, I had notices that the nanobotic treatment had left my face without any blemish. The bags under my eyes, the untimely wrinkles, the scars… all was gone… I looked like me… albeit different… a new side of me…

I softly walked towards the balcony, attempting not to break the slumber of the Dreemurrs. Lush plants covered the surrounds, giving a streak of life to the austere rock. Sweet aromas danced throughout the air, emanating from the kaleidoscopic variety of blooming flowers. I sat on the floor. My eyes admiring the waking world in front of me. Warm lights emanated from the crystals, giving the rock an amber tinge, instead of the whitish halo that it presented in the Monster's definition of day. Then, a long past memory began flooding my soul…

 ***Play extended version of "Memory"***

It was a rather temperate evening, crimson leaves detached from the trees, slowly falling to give back to the earth that had once given them life. The zephyr of the mountains gently straggling, bringing the earthy smell of autumn from all corners of the world. I believe I was 5 at the moment, simply a young girl playing in the park swings under the watchful eyes of her mother… a young girl with butter hands.

-"Ouch!!"- I cried in pain, before beginning to sob. As I was elevating in the swing, my hands had stopped gripping the chains, thus, my small body flew before crash landing on the leave covered dirt. I looked at my hands, rosy and scraped, burning as if sandpaper had been abraded above them. I felt two arms hugging me, before being delicately lifted, mellow whispers that it all was going to be alright coming from that voice I knew from birth.

 **-*Division*-**

We lived in a small apartment, one bedroom, one bathroom, and a little living room with kitchenette. Simple, and yet, we were happy. Mom had washed my wounds, before hugging me tightly. She quietly whispered in my ear that she was sorry , yet, she needed to do it. It was going to hurt, but it had to be done…

Her hands reached for a small piece of cotton and rubbing alcohol. I clenched my teeth, ready for the stinging pain, as if my skin was conflagrant. A minute later, all was done. We were sitting on a sofa, her embrace covering me and making me feel protected. I looked at my bare scrape, running from my knee down to the midpoint between it and the foot, it was not particularly deep, and yet, it hurt as if it was far larger.

-"Mommy"- I asked as I stared at her eyes, before sniffling loudly. My voice was slightly cracked, and tears were rolling on my cheeks. Though, my early curiosity was not deterred by this. –"Why there's pain?"-

-"Well, my frisky flower…"- She said as she booped my nose, making me laugh briefly. –"pain tells us when something is wrong. If you are sad, or if you get hurt, your body wants to cry, because it doesn't want to feel wrong."- She said this last bit as she began to delicately play with my hair. –" That's why you feel pain… because you hurt inside, but your body doesn't want to feel... so you get determined… and do something about it..."-

 ***End Memory***

I felt tepid streams flowing from pools in my eyes. Tears softly rolling through the paths made by their forerunners. Reality had finally hit me. I had left behind the place of those memories, of light and darkness forevermore. I had left the place where my Mother had nurtured me before it all happened. It was an ambivalent blend of melancholy and gladness interwoven.

With the tip of my left sleeve, I wiped my tears. Before I began to contemplate the streets that twisted down to the Epsolus river, Monsters beginning to fill them as part of their forenoon routines.

-"Frisk?"- Inquisitively asked the Dreemurr matriarch, who was dressed in a white robe. I swiftly turned towards her, before standing up. Crimson, bottomless eyes staring into my soul, concerned, as gelid sweat beads began forming on my forehead. –"… have you been crying?"- She asked softly.

My face burned after this last comment, for which I cursed myself, as it had given me away. I sighed languidly before nodding. –"I was remembering something that happened in the surface years ago... I guess a good memory…"-

Her face softened, as she looked at me, understanding.

-"Sometimes, seeing bits of the roots of our identity can be painful, as it reminds is of whatever hardships we have passed through… our losses... though, as painful as it can be, it is good to remember, never forget as it gives helps us to keep determined and achieve our goals…"- She said, her silky voice comforting me.

I stood there, wordless; the aura in the air becoming rather awkward.

-"W-well... erm…"- I stammered uncomfortably

-"Well… would you like to help me make breakfast?"-

Toriel asked.

At that moment, I felt my eyes lighten up like the sun, as I nodded more vigorously than I would like to admit. Cooking was rather pleasant for me, an art, it could be said. How the blending of herbs and spices, coupled with a piece of meat, or simply bread; could potentially create something that could thrill someone's palate, and bring them a jolt of joy. And thus, we began working. Toriel began to cut some fruits as I placed Bacon on a skillet. Before Toriel passed me some eggs, to which I had added milk after they were beaten; whilst she mixed the fruit with cereal into smoothies… Light, we worked like a well-oiled machine!

-"Mmmm… Baaaaacon…"- A drowsy murmur suddenly came from the entrance of the kitchen. I glimpsed towards the source, Asriel, still in his pajamas, was laggardly levitated towards Toriel and I. My eyes widened at this sight, I mean, he was floating!

-"Asriel.. dear… please wake up."- Whispered Toriel in Asriel's ears she ruffled the fur on top if his head. He opened his eyes groggily, before clumsily grabbing a chair to avoid falling, for he was floating no more.

-"What the… Morning Mom! Frisk!"- He said.

-"Good Morning"- Toriel and I said synchronously, before she added. –"Did you sleep well, dear?"-

-"Yep"- He answered. –"Though Chara is being a lazy bum…"-

-"I heard that!!"- Said the aforementioned grumpily. Chara was wearing similar pajamas to Asriel. Squared light and dark greens on both his shirt and pants, albeit he was also wearing black slippers. –"Howdy Mom, Morning Frisk."- He said after he arrived.

-"Morning my dear Chara"- Said Toriel, both sweetly and impishly, to the dismay of the young adult. –"Slept well?"-

-"I did… but Mo-om, please! I'm not 12 anymore!"- He responded, his face flushed.

-"I don't see anything wrong with it…"- Said Asriel playfully.

-"I'm 5 years older!"-

-"Chara, for the nth time, you might be 525 and look 19, but as I have said, to me you will always be the 12 year old that fell down here over half a millennium ago…."- Toriel answered calmly.

Wait… 525?! How old were actually these people?

-"Howdy!!"- The grave, stentorian salute broke my thoughts, as Ashore entered the kitchen, dressed in a yellow shirt with stamped flowers and caqui trousers. He then walked towards Toriel, to whom he gave a quick peck in the lips.

-"Did you get everything in, hon?"- Asked Toriel.

-"Indeed I did!"- answered Asgore cheerfully. –"Four consults, and a couple of opinions. Plus, Gerson asked if we could go, and drink some sea tea with him."-

-"How delightful!"- Responded Toriel. –"I think we should go later this week."-

-"Indeed, though first things should come first, Tori."-He said as he turned towards me. –"Howdy Frisk! Slept well?"-

-"I did sleep very well, and thank you very much for letting me stay for now."- I answered as I turned off the cooktop.

-"Don't worry about it."- He responded gently.

He and Asriel set the table as we served the breakfast; Eggs, Bacon, Toast, and fruit and cereal smoothies. All was calm, until the Fire Nation attacked…

( **Cut!! Hmm… wait… that's not right! Who the heck tampered with my annoying dance? *Dogsong plays briefly* Right… Toby! Don't touch my stuff!**

 **Annoying dog: How should I understand? I am just a dog.**

 ***Rewinds*** )

… All was calm, until unforeseenly the doorbell rang. Character stood up and went to revise the screen besides the stairs. Immediately after he announced who they were, he was told to greet them in. All was done with the press of a button. Before a mechanical whirling promptly began to roll downstairs.

A smooth, deep voice called from beyond the door, suave tones blending effortlessly with a an electronic vibrato–"Oh, Good forenoon, darlings…"-

 **Welp, sorry for taking too long. Yet, the games and books were whispering my name… I could not… resist…. Darn it! Anyways, I will try to upload as soon as possible, though I can't say when… Oh well…**

 **Anyways… we have seen some of Frisk's past… what actually happened? Who knows?**

 **Annoying Dog: You… You know what is coming…**

 **Go and sleep somewhere else…**

 **Don't forget to tell me what you think!!**

 **It will be a Skele-TON of help! :-)**


	5. Matrix?

**-*Writer has used the move 4 Months of procrastination coupled with the item Tonne O' Homvork** **-***

 **It's Super Effective!**

 **Toby: Now what are you going to do with all this mess?**

 **Watcher: I guess I will have to divide it into multiple chapters?**

 **Toby: Can I eat it?**

 **Watcher: No!**

 **Toby: Come on! Its-**

 **Watcher: I said no and that's final! If you do it, I will give you a bath… and not use conditioner…**

 **Toby: D: Anything but that!**

 **Watcher: Anyways, I must send thanks back to Myfly for sending this through the machine, can you please go and… do anything dogs do that is not destructive?**

 **Toby: … O** **k**

 **Enjoy**

The monster that entered was of a rather large size, like Asgore in dimensions; albeit rather boxy. Their body was a rectangular prism with a slimmed down waist, made from what seemed a solid block of sturdy metal; and was balanced from a precarious looking single wheel connected to the body through a metal rod. Their face was composed of a combination of variegated squares, illuminated in red and yellow colors, roughly making a face; with a lower stripe of yellow lights, forming a mouth. From their sides, metallic arms sprouting, finishing in white-gloved hands, the right grabbing a microphone of a darkish metallic color.

\- "Good Forenoon, Darlings"- His voice was oil on silk, incredible smoothness interlaced with the artificial reverberations behind them. His tone was of great respect towards the Royal monsters in front of him, albeit with a lingering boldness left from moments in close and distant yore.

\- "Well, good morning to you Mettaton."- Answered Toriel cordially. – "How are you?"-

\- "I'm feeling well"- Answered Mettaton. "Now, you see, many monsters have reported sightings of a fallen human, new to the Underground. And I wanted to request permission to track them down for an interview. Because I truly do not want a third account of stalking on top of my head...- "He finished, the last part a borderline murmur.

I froze at his request, Luckily, my figure was concealed by a rather conveniently shaped bowl of fruit. It was not terror, bar a sense of dewy startlement. Toriel too, seemed rather shocked by this, although I would guess it would be dismay.

\- "W-well…"- Began Toriel, before myself betrayed me. My nose was itching, rather surreptitiously at first,and yet unexpectedly, a rather sonorous sneeze escaped my nose, and into the part between my forearm and upper arm (Fossa, was it?). – "Darn flour…"- I thought in annoyance.

\- "Bless you… um…"- Began Mettaton as he bobbed his head, and thus my concealment from his vision was broken. – "Oh, well hello there."- He said calmly, as he turned towards Toriel. Toriel sighed as she nodded to his the silent plead. - "Well Hon, I am Mettaton, one of the greatest stars in this hole. And as I was saying, beautiful, I came here to ask the royalty to see if i could send people to find you, and see if you could come to my studio for an interview. And serendipitously, here we are!"-

-"W-well, it is very nice to meet you, Mr. for your offer, I am not sure, as I don't want to trouble Mr. and Ms. Dreemurr."

"Feel no troubles, somebody from my team should come to pick you up an hour before the interview for your prior preparation."

"Frisk, just remember that you are the only one having any decision on this."- Said Asgore, in his gentle, fatherly voice.- "Interviews might seem frightening at first, yet in the end, they only exist for people want to know you. Even if you err, to most it will not matter. Just feel yourself and let your heart decide."

I nodded at his advice, my mind pensive in this weighty decision. Although a part of me was in an unmovable position of negation, another was up to the challenge. And I was faithful in that the latter was the answer to this. "Ok"- I answered with slight gusto. "I will go."

"Wonderful darling!"- Responded Mettaton, a jolt of satisfaction in his voice, before looking at his wrist. "But well, look at the time! Well gentle-beauties, your dear robot is out. Good day!- He said as he rushed towards the door, no time given for a proper word of farewell.

"Well!"- Said Asgore. "Time to be productive!"

"Right! I have to give my AI to for check!"- Followed Asriel, as if he had suddenly remembered, which might very probably have been the case. He swiftly vaulted from his seat and rushed to his room.

Chara then unfastened from his handheld device, a rather curious thing of similar aspect to that of Dr. Doge's COCA, as he followed the steps of his younger sibling, his demeanor rather aweary from what seemed to be a rather lengthy night.

"So, I will unload some of the paperwork from the pile,"- Asgore said- "are you doing step 3?"

"Mhmm"-answered Toriel.

"Excellent."

And thus, it was settled. Toriel requested me to get ready for the forthcoming errants. And Asgore, on the other hand, proceeded to do the dishes. Minutes later, we had come through the Backdoor of the castle, the path leading to it crossing through many rooms, including a majestic Throne room, draped in soft crystalight. The soft blue atmosphere around the castle was marvelous, giving a magical aura to the place. Toriel saw this, her lips curling into a heartwarming smile.

\- "Even after 514 years, they don't cease to impress me."- She said nonchalantly- "They are indeed a show of immortal beauty."-

\- "They are stunning. I believe there are no things like this back in the surface."-

\- "Well, I could somewhat agree with that. For even the crystals from the vitreous caves did not have the lovesome hum these do. And yet, they held a slight magic in their own."- She said as she looked at, what now I believe is a rather addled face slapped in front of my head. This seemed to befog her momentarily, before she proceeded to talk. – "Well, of course. There are crystals that are like these back on the surface. Caves filled with them a many. I remember markets, filled to the brim with both monsters and humans. Spices and metals from throughout the kingdoms. Do they still do this in HomeTown? It has been 80 years since Garresh fell here, thus, I am curious…"-

\- "W-well… last time I was in a market it was all… monopolized?... under a single brand. Choice was null… so…"-

\- "Hmm… I see…"- answered Toriel pensively.

And thus, an awkward silence floated among us. Softly thereafter we arrived at a tall building. Similar in color to the stone of the cave, albeit carved elegantly in vertical bevels, and wrought in levels that extended high into the cave. The Atrium was softly washed in a golden light, coming from angled windows embedded in the ceiling. Monsters of many races. In the core of the building, many ornamental doors stood prominently. Elevators, I realized when we had approached them. And then we boarded one. A range of numbers hovering over the wooden panels on the sides. Light! 234 floors plus the 10 in the basement! Toriel proceeded to press the hovering pad, marking 178 on the holographic screen. This was swiftly followed by a gentle tug before a rather catchy tune played through an invisible speaker.

 ***Cue ElevatorStuck***

\- "Uhm… when we were speaking, I believe you mentioned somebody called "Garresh". And I apologize if I am being too nosy, yet, who are they?"-

\- "Well, my child. Do not have agitation for your curiosity, you see, just like you, many humans have fallen through the Seal down here. Garret being the last one hitherto the time you fell. There's my son Chara, his mentor Ridra, Lucas, Moustacho, Garresh and you…

You will probably meet them later down the road. For now, let's focus on getting you an EBCC."-

-"EBCC?"- I asked curiously.

-"Electronic Brain Complement Chip, I believe. It's a chip that replaced traditional teaching methods a little over a century ago."- She replied, a light bitterness lingering within her tones.

 ***Stop song***

A light timbre resounded through the elevator as the doors soundlessly unobstructed our passage.

-"Well, it seems we have arrived."- Toriel said.

It was a rather bare, unibody room. Leaden stone bending to a nigh-imperceptible degree, creating the illusion of it being rather unibody. Pillars rose from the ground, like natural spires, and emitted a soft white light that illuminated their fronts. And crystals embedded on the walls gave slight illumination to what would otherwise being drowning in darkness. We approached one of these machines, and I believe it sensed us, for its once hazy light became holographic, like the screen on the elevator. She then proceeded to swipe through some menus, and pressed certain buttons with expertise; before a screen appeared, prompting for the placement of my hand on the screen.

"Well, ready?"-Asked Toriel. "Do not have agita, it will not hurt. It will feel more like a small shock going through your back"-

I nodded, and placed my hand on the screen. Just like she said, a tingle ran through my back, and goosebumps appeared on my skin. All this, had an unexpected event for me, as stygian lines ran through my arm. And I was stuck, a netted bird frozen as if they had seen their hunter. And these nippy lines pooled at the base of my skull, right under the hairline in my hindhead. And then a stormcloud filled my thought, as information poured from it at unimaginable speeds...

 ***Division***

A stygian space surrounded a single illuminated spot over a granite-tiled floor. The light softly showering a figure of rather curious proportions and great beauhshasns… of rather curious figure and utmost strangeness. In simple words, an anthropomorphic, pink-tuxedo-bearing, house fly that happily typed with its lower appendages on a beautifully carved typewriter, which rested on the floor and was connected to their neck with strap of tanned leather. The eldritch creature slowly turned its emotionless head towards the reader, before softly buzzing in jolting mirthfulness.

-"Ahh… I have been awaiting you,"- Said the creature, its voice an annoyksksppp… a rather disconcerting buzz.- "greetings, I am the Author of All Was Well. Now, Dear Reader-" Their words were unexpectedly cut by a rather surreptitious fly swatter, making a loud "Spat!" whilst an annoyed voice shouted, "Cut the Crap!", and the fly's hands madly typed the text now read. The creature coughed dryly as it slowly stood up. –"Very well, I apologize for that brief interruption. In any case, it is very necessary to cover certain content which has been uploaded into Frisk's mind as to have a deeper insight on the events that shall occur in short and long future. In any case, we shall begin with the primal explosion provenient fromjsjskal"- Yet again, the reader encounters themselves in the situation occurred less than a minute ago, as this infuriated, disembodied voice exhorts the poor aukskw … as the author finally gets to the point of the origin of it all. After recovering an erected position, the fly proceeds to obtain a vinyl player from an unseen position beyond the dwarfish illuminated point. They smack their vocal appendages in delight as the vinyl disk creaks with the swift movement of the needle on its surface.

 ***Play "Flare" from Homestuck***

Well… where shall we begin?

A penta-dimensional star aimlessly floats in the void is space, its surface an array of shifting visions that would drive many creatures insane as per its incredible complexity. Withal, unexpectedly, a star of ungraspable denseness hits this at a speed nearing that of light itself. Thus, creating a chain reaction of many events that finished in the creation of many celestial objects, from black holes to bantam moons. This event of creation is almost as important as the big bang itself for our story! (For from here, Magic itself sprouted, for the primordial force of a dead sun that has been taken before its time is immortal and nigh-infinite!) And thus, our planet of Dharringhe is risen from the corpse if its dead forefathers, and orbits around the cores of once mighty objects. Seas, mountains, continents, volcanoes, ice lands, fjords, caves, Life! Light! This is a cornucopian blend of concepts unified as omphaloi!

And yet, this disarray gave birth to many races that governed the land, from the puissant Dragons, to the mellow Lakhali, and the insightful Ghaeleans. These races eventually giving birth to both Monsters and Humans. This was a golden age for many, for technology and culture flourished to an unexpected level! And yet, alas! Everything entered decadence! First, the Ghaelean Kingdom is lost overnight to terrible events which many prefer to leave unspoken. This is a tragedy of unprecedented magnitude, for now the mediators between Monsters, Dragons and Humans are nowhere to be seen whilst the tensions between them accrue. And thus, war ensues. The Dragons sided with the Humans, and overthrew the Monster dignitaries from the Highest Council. This upmost transgression against the Monster nation was followed by bloody carnage for both sides, withal rendering the once mighty race of the Monster a mere vestige a string away from extinction. Weeks and weeks of pursue and wander followed these dark times, and hunger and malady befell on the enfeebled race. Howbeit, ruth reached people's souls in a slight town named HomeTown. In this locality, 7 powerful magi were stationed, awaiting to protect their Lord. This man, however, forfeited this, and requested his protectors that if it was in their own will, Monsterkind should be protected from their impending extinction. To this, they complied. And thus, the magical bond between both the Highest of monsters all, the triad of Boss monsters who ruled with their fist of fluff (in a both literal and figurative way), and the empowered men, was forged. The barrier then went up. A humming wall, whiter than the pearl of the prized Anirgol, and yet stronger than Dalestone, separating the system of caves, currently known as "The Underground", from the rest of Dharringe. And thus, exploration of the current house of the monsters began. The first and foremost major observation of the cavern, was the presence of biophosphorodellecrystalluminicent beings. In other words, living, shiny crystals made from bacteria blood and phosphates. Withal, this wonder was short lived. Albeit not inhospitable, the place required terraforming, and thus, the many habitats were swiftly explored. What a marvelous place it was! Caves with crystalline sculptures, lands with raging fires emanating from the dirt itself, infinite plains, covered in golden grass thoroughly, template rivers flowing eternally from the life-giving ices and snows of the mountains, lands rising amongst these, providing solace to many monsters in the forthcoming. All ending in bristly stone chambers of gargantuan dimensions, which were like mouths in juxtaposition with the cave entrances that appeared deep within these chambers. They were freed, nevertheless, suffering flowed within their souls. Supplies were low, forcing rationing amongst the race; and thus bringing a light, unending hunger that further weakened the beleaguered species. But they rose, and didn't let go into the gentle night. Crops grew, systems were created, and the inhospitable was brought to life. Soon, with the blood and tears of many monster, the kingdom we currently live in began to arise. And yet it took time, for when the very first crops grown in this magic rich atmosphere were in their ripe, the first human fell…

 **Watcher: Remember to review! Your comments are significant help for me!**

 **Myfly: Wait… I forgot to stop the music! D:**


	6. Deja Vu

**Watcher: Toby, how many pages left?**

 **Toby: At least 30!**

 **Watcher: … Welp, sleep is for the weak.**

sans the Skeleton is not a particularly active individual, many would say laziness was his biggest sin. Whether he agreed with such notion was an utter mystery. And yet, this had to be mostly put aside due to circumstances. It has been 8 months hitherto since his father mysteriously disappeared, leaving no traceless path behind him. Granted, this had already occurred twice beforehand. After all, the perks that come with being a mad scientist do not include staying unscathed throughout your life. Nor it has been the consecutive longest time he has disappeared, albeit the lengthiest example was due to the bone pickle tree requiring a year to mature so it can bear fruit. Suddenly, his eye sockets lit up, as he was momentarily disoriented, not knowing where he had fallen asleep; hazily he remembered he had yet again dozed off in his basement. And thus, his cheekbones slowly lost contact with his makeshift pillow, countless papers filled with calculations stemming from the more obscure, Chaos-theory-and-probability-based fields of Quantum Mechanics. A swift skim uncovered his night's work, a myriad of sheets of paper, filled to the brim with notes and symbols that would make an obsessed notetaker proud. As his bulb acquired a more lucent aspect, an unsettling feeling posed on his shoulders. It had surreptitiously appeared barely weeks subsequent to the day his father had vanished, and since then it has been a sources of solicitude and sleeplessness. sans attributed it to the lack of results sprouting from his work. Many times he scoured fruitlessly the last place where his father had last been seen: His laboratory in Hotland. All in all, after many months of work, he had stayed at the same spot of the path; months and Wingdings Gaster nee Serif was bar a memory on the face of Dharringe. That fateful day, bloody it be, was crystal in the mind of Comic sans Serif, it all began like most days, and very similar to the extant one, and yet, such part is insignificant. For what matters, is not the day, bar what actually occurred previous to the event itself.

A viscid heat lingers in the atmosphere, to the dismay to those not accustomed to it. And yet, that is trivial to sans, who attributes this cool-headedness to his thick skin. His skeletal body, draped in his trademark blue hoodie and running shorts, lied on top of a reclinable sofa behind his post in Hotland. To be more precise, he lied on his grandpa's reclinable leather sofa that was positioned behind his post in hotland. And yet, that is trivial to sans. The clock roams the fields of lunch time, the time of the day where sans can have a "recess" from his duty as a civil watcher for the Underground Royal Guard, to grab a grub. This roam becomes an arrival as his phone reverberates in alarm, a deep buzz followed by a quirky tune crafted by his brother years ago, back when he believed music was his true call. Swift annoyed swats followed the buzzing as if it was a harbinger of doom, and thus, he set for his pop's laboratory. It was routinary between them for the younger skeleton to teleport to the laboratory as to take quick note on his father's culinary desires for the moment. This additionally provided an extra line of communication in case the wrong liquids had been combined or yet another dog filled the delicate instruments with fur a third instance. A swift shortcut and he was near the laboratory. The city of Hotland is not particularly quaint like Snowdin, nor majestic in a manner similar to Home, or its homonymous counterpart New Home. On the other hand, the most fitting word for this place would be futuristic. The city was brimming with towering ceilingscrapers made from obsidian bricks of a multifold of degrees of transparency, interlacing with the platinum tones of metals, which softly shimmered with the light emitted from the perpetual lake of fire. At the distance, the crown jewel of the district: four looming towers surrounding the gargantuan figure of the CORE, one of the greatest creations of his father. A swift walk and he arrived to the street where the laboratory was situated. There was no special marking nor sign that gave clue to the nature of the building, bar a plain metal door, lone in the one of the crimson rock walls that compose most of Hotland. Normally, a simple knock would have granted sans access to the laboratory. Nevertheless, no sign of life was given after several knocks, and minutes flew awaiting response. This forced the monster to teleport within the perimeter inside the building, an action typically prohibited by the older skeleton as it could potentially disrupt experimentation. And yet such could not be the case, for signals of that occurring were given in one manner or another, typically through a simple text message automatized at the beginning of the trial. An inauspicious silence was sans' greeting in the blank room, which made his soul sink. Sheer darkness enveloped him, and wishing, praying to all known Gods this was bar a terrible taste joke on behalf of his father, he turned on the flashlight of his phone. And terror rang through him, sheer, cold despair. For all that was present in the room were scattered metal pieces on the primal stone floor. Sans' legs gave up, as he fell on his bony knees, frozen in a state of unknown. His mind wishing this crude reality was bar a gehennal dream in a state of doldrum midnight rhapsody. And yet, solace did not arrive.

The first weeks after sans reported Gaster's disappearance were composed of throughout research of the scant evidence by a rather eclectic list of organizations, concluding rather fruitlessly; because not even molecular deconstruction of the materials that composed the machine could throw light on this truly unfortunate case. Simply stated, the traceless disappearance of a former royal scientist created ambiguous ripples throughout The Underground, and effectively so as the nature of the aforementioned parts was clouded in total mystery. On the other hand, sans spiralled into depression as his hopes diminished to a null amount. During this time, his once plentiful sleep was diminished to mere minutes per week, and his eyelights dimmed to a mere twinkle, barely visible in the darkness of his sockets. And his once cheerful personality a mere carcass of what it once was. This sentiment carried on for months on end, unconsolable by both his closest friends and family, until an event of unknown nature inverted this. By many, this immediate change was nothing short of miraculous, this is for his once crestfallen manner morphed into a sheer determination to find him. And thus, three months later he is at his current stage, deep in research, and yet set to find his father, only in death finally having true rest. He sprung to his slipper-clad feet, and shortcutted to the kitchen of the Skeleton residence.

"hey paps"- He said nonchalantly to a taller skeleton.

"SANS!"- Answered the aforementioned. Papyrus was of a lankier structure compared to his chubbier brother, and absolutely obliterated the law of "older is taller" by towering almost two feet above him. Proud and sheathed in his "battle body" (Which consisted of a white cloth chestplate, complete with padding, blue underwear, coupled with red high boots and gloves) he proceeded to lecture his brother on the importance of being steady and active 24/7. Fruitless indeed it was, for it might as well entered through one ear hole and come out on the other side.

"welp, i'm pretty barebones to be that operational, but-"

"SANS! NOT ANOTHER OF YOUR INSUFFERABLE PUNS!"- Cut Papyrus, obviously irritated at the shenanigans of his brother.

"hey, i like to put backbone in my morning routine."

"NYEEEEEEEEH!"-

"wHaT fRiCkEn' RuCkUs Is HaPpEnIn' 'OwN 'eRe?!"- Yelled a waspish voice from the room adjacent to the kitchen, Sans and Papyrus eyed each other nervously, as if they were awaiting impending judgement from a higher being. Moments later, a third skeleton entered the cooking space. Grave eye sockets staring down at the siblings as he strode into the kitchen.-"hAvEn'T hAd My mOrNeN' cUpPa AnD yE bOtH aLrEaDy YoWl LiKe Ye Ar' BiNg PaId To Do So!"

"heya gramps"- Greeted sans at the hulking figure of his grandfather, yet, his gay insouciance had cracked under the pressure of the soul-piercing look that emanated from the cold luminescence of his grandfather's eyesockets, chilling him more than a night in the most frigid part of the Coldtain mountains.

"dOn'T yA "hEyA" mE yOu LaZy SaCk Of BoNeS aNd GeT yA aSs OfF fRoM hOaRdEn' AlL tHe KiTcHeN fLoOr!"- Ordered the irritated skeleton, and with obedience that would shame even the Royal Guard themselves, they moved aside in utmost sintony. This was followed by the long march-like steps trademark of their grandfather. His bony fingers coiled around the handle of the kettle, his grip a youthful firmness. And thus, after a swift tilt of kettle and containers, his warm matutinal drink rested in the bone china, creamy swirls meandering one last time before they rushed down the throat of the elder skeleton.

-"aHHHH…"- Exhaled the skeleton in delight whilst his bones warmed with the energy that once brimmed within his styngian silk. -"aNYWAYS…"- He followed whilst he turned around. His eye sockets befell on air devoid of any individuals, who most probably had surreptitiously lurked towards their breakfast. This proved to be accurate. As both brothers were sitting on the wooden bar that sturdily sat on the side of the living room. The long strides of the grandfather preceded him joining the younger skeletons. The youngest religiously followed his spagetthiaranistic diet, a rather succulent blend of colors from the pale canaries of the egg noodles and the blood red of the homemade sauce, to the dark verdants of the fresh, crisp oregano and the snow whites of the parmigiano reggiano.

sans simply settled on grilled cheese.

"sO,'- Began Grandpa Semi, attempting to make conversation. 'hOW dY'ALL sLEEP?"

"MOST EXCELLENTLY MY DEAR GRANDFATHER!"- responded Papyrus.

"like a dry bone."-Murmured groggily sans as he turned on the TV, earning himself a drowned groan from his brother and a smirk from his grandfather. Calling the news by that name would in itself be an irony, since in itself they were a repetition of past days, bar with slight changes. Fundraises here, an accident there, and at times some drunk or another claiming at high voices they had not slept with that woman, whatever that meant. The most interesting thing that had happened in a while was a philosophical debate 3 months ago that rumbled the Underground's ideals to their core: Were Tems weird cats or cats weird Tems? (It was later concluded that cats are cats, and nobody actually knows what the actual heck Tems are.)

Unexpectedly for sans, the feeling intensified to the point it knotted his sandwich-hoarding stomach. It felt to him as if it was prompting a teleportation to a far too specific place within the Underground. He resisted, yet both the nagging feeling and his own killing curiosity for what it was telling him to do. Luckily for him, both his brother and grandfather had errants to do. Whilst Papyrus went to the Flying Spaghetti Monster's church in order to both go to the bi-weekly service and do his voluntary work, Grandpa Semi grabbed his gym bag and directed towards Hotland's Gym. Thus, with the house to himself, sans concentrated on that feeling, before letting his spatial magic pull him in. The silence morphed into… silence, however, with lively chatter afar. sans noticed the stone under his hot pink slippers, immediately knowing he was in an alley within the city of Home.

Now the question within him is: Why?

Peeking from his concealed position, he swiftly noticed the face of his dearest Frenemy: Flowey The Flower. That and… a human girl? Her face seemed beknown from somewhere to sans, caught in his thoughts, he walked behind a conveniently shaped lamp, before, with a swiftly crafted contingency plan in his head, he attempted to contact the coming duo.

"psst"

And thus they detained their step.

"psst"

"W-Who is it?"- Tautly asked a silvery voice.

"No-Body"- Answered sans with a cheeky grin.

 **Watcher: We really have to talk about your actions beyond the 4th wall…**

 **Toby: He was trying to convince me to sleep in a weird bed! It was so soft and comfortable… I couldn't have trusted it!**

 **Watcher: Twice?**

 **Toby: … Can dog food actually taste like rare filet mignon alá beurre?**

 _ ***freeze time***_

 **Myfly: And that, dear reader, is how Watcher re-discovered the ultra-legendary Facepalmx2 combo. Please, do leave a review as it can help me become a better translator. Good day!**


	7. Creata

**Watcher: I'm Bored…**

 **Toby: Hello Bored, I'm...**

 **Watcher: No**

 **sans: Eyyy…! *Finger guns towards Toby***

 **Watcher: How the heck did you get here?**

 **sans: undyne broke the door**

 **Undyne, from the couch, holding a self-served cup of tea: THIS PLACE SUCKS! Aren't you the writer? I would at least had given myself a mansion! *sips drink***

 **Watcher: Yeah, and risk Toby dirtying every single room? Just with this slight couple of rooms it is already difficult to keep this place clean from the bantering of this son of a chihuahua!**

 **Toby: Hey!... … … *Comeback unavailable***

 **Watcher: Exactly. Anyways, i've got to turn on the machine before the rest of the characters enter this place… Oh wait… *looks at pile of paper* …**

 **Toby: Can I eat it?**

 **Watcher: No**

 ***Chapter 6 begins!***

It has been 3 days hitherto since the shocking incident with the EBCC injection. It was indeed a singular experience, I would say, not unexpected because of the differences between The Underground and the surface; however, singular. Afterwards, it was as if a thick veil had been lifted from my once sluggish mind. My thoughts were flowing, and my mind felt fetterless from anything. It felt… curious. I remember my first thought was a BIG curse that was just barely detained from escaping my heaving mouth, followed by a voracious impulse.

-"I want more, I want more."- My thoughts begged, they were a man in lethal thirst whom was just given a drop of water, just enough to wet his desertic tongue. I remember looking at Toriel, her face showing a slight smugness, her eyes twinkling with a mix of jejune excitement and simple delight. Her paws gently moved forwards, before leaning to the sides, as if presenting me the library of limitless information these machines held. I pressed and pressed and pressed, as torrents of knowledge poured in my mind with the limitless strength of a waterfall. Light! I felt I could conquer the world, Math, Science, History, unraveled mysteries bared themselves in front of my eyes and my brain beheld and absorbed the wonders of knowledge… Before the endorphin crash headache arose against my person. My brain suddenly overwhelmed by the gargantuan flow of information, which prompted me to disconnect from such fountain of knowledge. Indeed, the saying of "Too much of a good thing can be bad" worked for knowledge too. Oh well, time to face the consequences.

 **-*Division_**

 **Toby: *worriedly looking at Watcher* Please don't tell me that was a symbol for sex.**

 **Watcher: Geez, who am I? Bram Stoker? Of course not!**

 **Toby: *Extremely exaggerated sigh of relief***

 **Watcher: Also, it would be Hebophiliac, like Frans.**

 **sans: *eye sockets blank as a void, as a bead of sweat rolls down his forehead* please don't remind me of that!**

 ***Stop time***

 **MyFly: *Raspy Cough* I sincerely apologize for the ramble, mere… technicals problems we could say. Now, back to the story.**

 ***Division_**

For the time being, it was church day. I was cordially invited by Asriel to come, before he swiftly mentioned it was not necessary. But I felt curious, and accepted his invitation. Thus, after breakfast and with the help of the EBCC and the TTT Lite, I fashioned myself a denim jumpsuit, simply to add slight change to what had been my daily use clothing for the past week. And thus, we were going. The toasty air of New Home was a recomforting aura which made our walk towards the church very pleasurable. I striked conversation with Asriel, which rather quickly developed on a swift and quirky debate on the actual nature of Tems, to which for some reason the elder Dreemurrs chuckled at. The outcome was that none of us both knew what the actual heck Tems were.

The Church of Balance was one of the main three religions in the Underground, aside from The Adorers of the Concealed Being and The Pastafarians. Their building in the Underground's capital was simply stated, anything bar short of being a masterpiece. In contrast with its towering neighbors, its obsidian walls stood bantam (if compared with the towering eifications that populated the city) and yet, with an august aura that reservedly displayed and unfolded in front of my eyes, as if it held a power that has abided to the labyrinthine rules of reality hitherto since times of antediluvian yore. A breathtaking crystal cathedral that housed religion itself. We passed the main portal into the atrium just moments before Asriel and Chara walked towards a door discreetly tucked in a corner. Aromatic candles hovered in the cavernous room, a tinge of cinnamon lingering in the warm light. Monsters a manifold meandered throughout the room, deep in thought or conversation. Some bonhomeously greeted the elder Dreemurrs from afar, others stared at me with curiousness. At times, their glances followed by murmurs.

"Ahh… Fluffybuns!"- Called a voice from behind us. We turned back to see a very senescent turtle. His face showed the past of time more so than any I had seen hitherto in the Underground, and yet his only eye showed the youth and power of his days of prime. Vigorous, and clad in a pearl and sable zoot suit, Gerson Boom strode towards us with a speed that was rather ironic.

"Ahh… Hickey!" Asgore answered amicably towards him, before covering the distance with Gerson, before they both greeted each other like brothers. hugs and bumps aside, they began chattering and doing small talk. It was as if two youngsters had found each other after weeks of not being together.

"Hullo Gerson"- Said Toriel from where we were. Gerson turned his head towards us, before momentarily waving back whilst the realization came to him that I was there.

"Well well, it's quite nice to see a new pretty face down in this hole!"- Said Gerson with a wide smile, covering the mere meters between us with his short and yet swift steps. My face grew a little lukewarm due to his comment, a thing he seemed to notice as he casted the visage of his only eye upon me. "Wahaha!" He cackled, whilst quickly extending his hand towards me, his face with an amused beam. "Gerson Boom, nice to meet ye."

I extended my arm towards his paw, which I shook. It was a smooth, leathery surface. Cool to the touch. His grip, however, was one where you could feel he could crush your hand to tidbits had he desired to do so. "Nice to meet you Mr. Boom." I spoke, a slight smile in my lips as I looked straight into hs grandfatherly face.

His eyes morphed from a light amusement into sheer disport, his smile widened as chuckled, as if attempting to dam a greater boffola. "Pah!" He exclaimed, breaking the clasp of our hands. "Please stop with the formalities. Just call me Gerson!"

"OK."

"Now, Fluffbuns, did ye get my email?"

I looked back, to see Asgore's wide-eyed-but-blank expression, his eyes more white than crimson, locked on Gerson. "Um… I definitely forgot about that… But I guess Toriel and I can go… midweek?"

"Midweek it is then! But I think we should get going. Your wife has gone two steps ahead of you already!"

If Asgore's eyes were bar specs of blood in an ocean of white before, now they were completely colorless As Toriel was there no more, she probably kept her way towards the main room whilst Asgore and I talked with Gerson. Asgore's paw lightly tapped my right shoulder, as he murmured. "I-I think we should follow your mo- I mean, Tori before she takes vengeance upon us."

"Agreed."- I replied with a shudder. I discovered the Queen's infamous temper the day after my chip implantation, and, simply stated, it shook me to the core.

 **-*Division_**

 _My eyes swiftly devoured the words the book on my hands was presenting. It was a bantam grey stone square which Chara helped me to make through the TTT, and it let me access the vast creative library the Underground had amassed in its half a millennium of existence. With such, my imagination grew wild, as I was put on the shoes of a traveller amidst an infinite alien desert instead of being a barefoot girl, who calmly was cross legged atop the white sheets of a bed. It was a monumental journey of a man looking for himself, and who he was in life, the travels of a thirsty soul in search of a path towards his future, a path we all forge ourselves. It was marvellous, simply stated. Sentence after sentence flew within me through my now crystal clear mind, resonating within my soul as I found joy in the mirages of my contrievance. All before a sonorous roar broke the peace. It was spoken as if it was a murmur, and yet with an spine-chilling authority that drained the air of its warmth._

" _Asriel Dreemurr."- was the spoken word of the voice, Toriel's to be precise. It permeated the walls, flowing as if the wall's presence was not null; and yet, keeping her Heaven bestowed power: The voice of a Queen amidst a judgement. "may you explain the nature of this mayhem within your room?"_

" _I-I b-blame the machine!"- Asriel's voice quivered, something which in itself is quite impressive, as I would have frozen in fear to that. "It's Hybrid FPGA outputted too much jitter so-!"_

" _Asriel, we have talked about your experimentation-"_

" _But-!"_

" _No buts, son. You veritably understand that there's the potential that you could potentially scar yourself with a misstep amidst this dishevelment. And more so since you are playing with Energy itself! Can't you have a deeper thought on the carefulness you should have with such things?"_

" _Mom, it's not even a fraction of a percent of MaH influx!"_

" _However, what if the resistors themselves have a slight fail? You could very well be blasted with a barrier's worth of energy!" Were Toriel's words as her tone began to reach_

 _All I did was sit on the bed, book down and wide-eyed at what had just happened. It was indeed jaw-dropping that such maternal, halcyon figure could be such terror even when heard from afar in a moment of hasty birse. Now, who would she become if induced to blinding wrath?!_

 _The supper later that day would have been very awkward had she catched my speedy glances._

 _That monster was affrighting._

 **-*Division_**

It was unsurprising that the only special accommodations the Dreemurrs had within the church were slightly oversized versions of the suede seats present throughout the church, which in any case would be standard issue in the back rows for monsters of heftier magnitudes, although I myself would have half the footprint of the chair as leeway. In contrast to the grandiose of the Atrium, the pray room was conservative. The floor's darkstone faintly gave off a mauve shine, almost drowned in the front rows by the honey-like light that beamed from the stage, which held a turtle in his middle years. Father Alvin's gaze was that of serenity, just like his strawberry milk hair, which gave him the countenance of a warm grandpa, who comfortably lingered between conscience and the far lands where the figments and desires of our minds are revealed to us.

His light, raspy cough broke the ethereal silence that had hitherto lingered within the chamber, another cough and he began to speak, his voice silky and almost compelling, Withal, it was not deep, bar dark and resonant. Like melted chocolate, circumfluous within a crystal tube.

"We stand, we live, we die, we walk, we lie, we fact. All to prevent disbalance, all to stay in life's path."And then, a cacophony of voices filled the precinct, from bantam to gargantuan, in all strengths and qualities, by heart vocalizing the succinct orison. I simply stared in awe at the devotion all these beings placed on a mere concept, and yet, what isn't the concept itself bar that intrinsic notion of life?

And then, from the manifold of the stage, several figures in white robes emerged. Each carrying a pygmy leather-bound tome, and moving laggardly. That before they escalated onto a stair-like structure. It was a chorus. From my position, I discerned both Asriel and Chara, their faces serene and expressionless. A swift page-turn, and my heart stopped.

The bottom began chanting, a sweet melody in which later blended in the sopranos, before the whole chorus, in thundering voices filled the church with their poignant ballad; and they went on and on, song after song, enjambments and ballads and jingles and cantatas. All on life, death, entrapment, freedom, and how everything intermingles to be either both our path and not at the same time. And then, the real preaching began. But was it preaching? Father Alvin was swift in word and movement, with magic imaging the ideals he explained, the works of past, the future, the legends, and how everything is part of the path tattooed on Ouroboros' scales. It was rap-like, and yet mellow. How can he be so ominously relaxing? I stared, eyes and ears open at him, inclined from the edge of my seat towards him, who looked around and was a step from breaking into a one-monster tribal dance. Ridiculous? Of course not.

It all filled my soul with determination, it made me feel secure and protected. I felt ready for anything. And I would need this.

Tomorrow was my interview with Mettaton.

 **Watcher: How does a B*tard, orphan, son of a w*re and a scotsman-**

 **Toby: This is not Alexander Hamilton, you know?**

 **Watcher: … Please tell me what you think! It will be an oodle of help.**

 **Toby: Why not two oodles?**

 **Watcher: Sh.**


	8. Showtime!

**Watcher: The heck, is this a play?**

 **Toby: No, it's a stop.**

 **Watcher: …**

 **-*Begin!*-**

(Enter scene, Frisk, Chara and Asriel are playing Scribble. To this moment, Chara is winning 13-5-2)

Frisk (with a slight frown): How come you are so good at this?

Chara (Smugly smirking): Trade secret. Also, you could make the word "Asinine" with your letters.

Frisk (thinking): hmph! How ironic…

Asriel: First, I play "fantod" for 6+2. Second, Frisk, how are you feeling about your interview?

Frisk (Her lips momentarily tightening, before she looks at Asriel): I guess it's kind of unnerving. I mean, won't half the underground watch the program?

Chara: Yep, a little over a million and a half monsters, since it is an special advertised event. Of course, overly exaggerated,because it is Mettaton. But my guess should be pretty accurate.

Frisk (All color draining from her face, murmuring.): Well… Crap.

(Toriel and Asgore enter. Toriel clad on a tank top and yoga pants, and carrying a sports bag. Asgore in cargo shorts and a hot pink Hawaiian shirt.)

Frisk (Thinking after glancing towards Toriel): Holy cow, Toriel is more ripped than Asgore?! She has an 8-pack!

Toriel: [...] and do not forget not to go a minute before the program begins…

Asgore: Yes, hon…

Toriel: Excellent. See you all later! (She says, and after she gives a peck on the lips to Asgore, she exits.)

(Toriel Exeunt)

Asgore (looking towards the youngsters): So, how long before this interview?

Frisk: Two hours, I think.

Asgore: Excellent, may I join in?

Frisk, Chara and Asriel (In unison): Sure!

(One and a half hours later)

Asgore (Looking at the scores with worry, 9, 6, 4 and 1. In favor of Chara, Asriel and Frisk, respectively. His paw on his forehead) (Murmuring): How in the world is this young man so good at this?!

Chara (An even wider smug smirk in his face): Dad, you can make the word "Atrocious" with your letters.

Asgore (murmuring): The bloody irony! (Raising his voice to normal levels) This reminds me of that Casino which believed you had cheated them out of all that G.

Chara (His face morphed into wide- eyed terror, pale as a sheet of paper): Please don't touch that topic!

(Frisk swiftly ganders towards Asgore, an eyebrow raised because of her curiosity)

Asgore (Taking a deep breath, quickly drowning a laugh before speaking, to Chara's dismay.): Well, you see, around… I think 180 years ago, Chara was banned from any establishment that had gambling, since by the time the higher people in the Hotland Casino realized, Chara had already gotten almost 200,000 G. Of course, if you were there, you seen the Mayhem that happened back then! It was in the news for weeks! Of course, it was later demonstrated that my son has this uncanny ability to be extremely lucky with board games… for some reason.

Chara (his face very rubicund): Oh my gog, Dad!

Asgore (slightly smirking, swiftly breathing in his attempts to contain his laugh): Also, I think you can make the word "Karma" with your letters.

And thus, after peeking at his letters, Chara rediscovered by himself the epically legendary "Facepalmx2" Combo. Of course, earning himself the laugh to tears on behalf of the other people in the room.

Asgore (now more calm): Ok so what t- Oh! 20 minutes left. Are you ready kids?

 **Toby: AYE! AYE! Captain!**

 **Watcher: Shut up!**

Asriel (bemused): Yes, but… what was that?

Asgore: I… don't know… probably shenanigans. Anyways, everybody ready?

(Insert affirmative response.)

Asgore: Well, let's go!

(Exeunt Asgore, Asriel, Chara and Frisk)

 **-*Scene change to New Home's deck"**

Asgore: River person, could you please take us quickly to Hotland?

River Person: At once.

(A cat head grows on River person's ship. This before both Frisk and the Dreemurrs step into the main deck of the boat.)

 **-*Scene change to Hotlands deck*-**

(They disembark on Hotland's deck)

Frisk (wide eyed): D-did that just take 5 seconds?

Chara: You'd be surprised how fast River Person can make things go when they are asked to rush.

Asgore: Kids, we should rush. 15 minutes to walk… Like 2 blocks.

Asriel: We should be fine, then!

(They arrived with 8 minutes to spare)

 **-*Scene change to Mettaton's Show Room, because nobody really cares about back room shenanigans*-**

 **(The setting is a dark room.)**

?: Gentlemon and gentlebeauties, welcome to…

(Turn on lights to reveal a stage amidst a 1000 monster audience. In the middle, two canary seats, one of which holds a shirt-shot-boots clad girl (AKA: Frisk), whilst Mettaton stands in the middle of the stage, talking on his microphone. Cameras are everywhere, taking a 360 degree take on everything. Begin playing Toby Fox's "It's Showtime!")

Mettaton(Raising his voice): The special edition program interview for the newly fallen human Frisk… umm… (Rolling back, Mettaton approaches Frisk, before murmuring on her ear) Frisk… what?

Frisk (murmuring): Vitet-Mors.

Mettaton (Raising his voice again): Frisk Vitet-Mors ladies and gentlemon.

(The audience cheers as he sits down. The perspective is changed towards The Dreemurrs.)

Asriel: Her last name is Vitet-Mors?

Asgore: Mhm. Let's just leave the author have their fun, ok?

 **(freeze time)**

 **Watcher: … *Facepalmx2.. x4! Combo! (Toby helped)* Why do my characters keep breaking the 4th wall?**

 **Toby: What would you do?  
Watcher: … Fair point.**

 **(Unfreeze time)**

(Change perspective back to the stage)

Mettaton: So… Frisk. How have you seen the Underground?

Frisk: Simply amazing, nothing in the surface can beat the beauty in here.

Mettaton: Mhmm… I see. So, the surface is not that great?

Frisk: It has its charm. However, it has all been brought down to a pauperized havoc.

Mettaton: I see, and how was your life back up there, then?

Frisk (Flushing slightly): Doesn't matter.

Mettaton: Oooh, so you left a boy behind?

Frisk (Now a slight sweat is forming on her now very bloomed forehead): N-no!

Mettaton (smirking): Oh, ok. I won't judge. It was a girl.

Frisk (Redder than red itself and wide eyed. Sweating profusely): No! I- (She deeply breathed.) I did not leave any romantic, platonic or otherwise relation on the surface.

Mettaton: Oh… Ok, I see.. ( His face flushes now to a neutrality, before he lightly coughs) So, let's talk politics. Are those old coots in Radesh still kissing up to the Dynkxyans?

Frisk: Most certainly.

Mettaton (with disdain): Eughh. I need a bucket. (he lightly coughs) Anyways, how about tech? Has anything been done up there on that?

Frisk: I had no access to the news for a time before I fell down. All I know is that the headlines of a newspaper I saw indicated high levels of Rubidium and copper in the moons. Whatever that means. (Thinking) How could I actually remember that?!

Mettaton: (His face now very, very neutral): I…. see… Well! We are out of questions! Thank you for watching! (And the lights on the stage went dark.)

Frisk (Thinking with confusion): He…. ran out of questions…?

*Switch to New Home's gymnasium*

Toriel (watching the TV, wide eyed. As she curled 50-pound dumbbells) ): (Thinking) 107… 108… 109 (Speaking to a tawny woman) She did very well.

Ridra: Mhmm, but I think Mettaton stepped his line.

Toriel: When he doesn't? That machine is hopeless.

Ridra: I completely agree with you, Tori.

*Switch to the Skeleton Home*

Papyrus: UUUUUH, NEW HUMAN! I, THE GREAT PAPYRUS, SHALL ENQUEST ON TO FIND HER AND MEET HER!

sans: name's frisk and she was quite quiet when i talked to her in home

Papyrus (mouth agape, his eyes squinting towards sans): YOU INVITED HER HERE WHEN I WAS GOING OUT TO HIS NOODLINESS' PLACE OF WORSHIP!

sans: nah, found her by chance in the city. she was with daisy

Papyrus: I ALREADY TOLD YOU HIS NAME IS FLOWEY!

sans: whatever

Grandpa Semi: sHHHHH…

*Switch to Alphys' lab*

Alphys: L-look, she finally came on TV!

Lucas (his face utterly neutral): … *sips drink*

*switch to Greater and Lesser dog's house*

Lesser Dog: Wow. So child. Very cute. Wow

Doggo: Very good. So control.

Dogamy (cuddling with Dogaressa): Very comfy. Good smell. Very lovey. Good show. Wow.

Dogaressa (cuddling with Dogamy): Good dog. Best friend. Wow. Smell like tacos.

Greater Dog: Indeed, I would agree to call that a most excellent performance in that show.

Dogi, Doggo and Lesser Dog: … Wow. Greater dog not using tribal dialect. Very wrong. So uncomfortable? wow. Very Formal. too pompous.

Greater Dog: Wow. Very sorry. Too accustomed. Wow.

 **Toby: … Why do they speak like cousin Doge?**

 **Watcher: Ask MYfly.**

 **Toby: … (looks towards reader) I guess you should review? Watt is enjoying the show. *cough* stalker! *cough***


	9. Identity

_**Watcher: How many pages left?**_

 _ **Toby: 15, but it seems incomplete.**_

 _ **Watcher: That explains Myfly's message that I'll have to "Do the Macarena" to get the next part…**_

 _ **Toby: What's with him and all this weird stuff?**_

 _ **Watcher: Probably a kink.**_

 _ ***Begin this Slice of Life chapter!***_

* * *

 _(Begin playing String Player Gamer's version of Undertale, in a loop.)_

The response to the interview was surreal.

But first, let's focus on what matters.

I felt nor pride nor despair after the interview. That feeling in my soul, it was simply a tranquil demeanor, like the calm after a great storm. Everything had passed. And, I was still… me.

I had by sheer serendipity found a world, which with wide-open arms received me. And I forged friendships, that albeit green harbored a foreshadowing strength. I was received by kudos and greetings from the staff. What had I done? I did not know at the moment, but as I received them, I thanked them. The Dreemurrs stood there, bare teeth at me, even Chara. light, he was the first of them to congratulate me? The usually apathetic Chara Dreemurr?! I was baffled at what was unfolding in front of my eyes. I also earned a literally breathtaking congratulatory hug from Toriel back at the Dreemurrs. Her fur smelled like vanilla. Until the next day reality dawned on me of the gargantuan magnitude of what I had done the day before.

I left Mettaton himself speechless and stalling.

Mettaton.

Who many believed to be the peskiest Monster in the whole Underground. Who many knew would have as much determination as Marshall General Undyne just to get a drop of information throughout his relentless prying. And only a handful of monsters (and humans) could do what I did, simply because they had the authority to do so. Or else, Mettaton could be legally slapped with a fish (which in General Undyne's terms would mean she could dent his "Undentable" skin).

Of course, some media outlets would not publish my act so kindly. Moustacho Leroy's "El Mustache" newspaper (a branch of the "Bigote Enterprises" media outlet. MTT's largest enemy in the media business) worded it, and quote "Wee Lass shuts up Superstar" (Of course, redeeming me later in the article. Although it left me wondering, had I been disrespectful?) I rested assured after asking Asriel, who simply told me that had I been more respectful, it would have been taken as mockery by the masses.

Of course, after that, his serenity morphed into a smile of joking jest as he said "Checkmate".

However, my utmost surprise would come 2 days later, when Mettaton himself arrived at the castle.

His motives?

None other than to hire me as his assistant, and co-worker.

In other words, I was being asked by him to be one of the people in front of the screen. Passing on the gossip to the masses.

"But, why me?" I asked him in the lone living room.

"Well, dear, did you ever see your performance through the camera's eyes?"

"I- No."- I answered truthfully.

He summoned his communication device, and after a couple of swift taps, he turned the screen towards me.

And I saw it. My face suddenly morphed from the rubicund embarrassment I was waist-deep in, to stern tranquility. Light! The blush simply drained, my voice stabilized into deep professionalism I did not know I was capable of. That was the effect of sudden stress on me? He then proceeded to turn it to his side, and after a set of swift taps, he showed me spoke again.

"Also, Frisk, a good chunk of the Underground thinks you are fit for the position."- He said as he turned his device towards me.

* * *

.dom

Subject: Frisk Vitet-Mors as future newswoman in the MTT Network (Yes, we checked, she's 16).

Subsection: Signature Count

Goal: 100,000

Signatures Collected: 537, 085.

Time left: 27/30 Days.

* * *

How could I describe my reaction?

Right:

 **has stopped working.**

My eyes were peeled, my mouth was agape, my mind was a storm.

WHAT… HOW... DID THIS HAPPEN?

"I… m-mean" I stuttered, shaken at what was occurring. "I know what the website says, but what is your opinion on this?"

"Beautiful"- Said Mettaton softly. "Just you being able to stir enough sense in my robotic brain to stop me from going overboard is enough to have considered you as my assistant. After all, I know I have been commented that my actions on screen have a tendency to be risque, and either my staff is too worried I might retaliate, or I simply do not take them seriously in the heat of the moment. Frisk, it has lost me viewers! That behavior. If I ever wanted anybody up there on the newsstand, it would be somebody who can take the reins and whoop me on the behind into the safer side. That reason is why I actually considered this by myself later that day."

"I see, then I accept your offer."

And now the baffled one was him.

"Just… like that...?"- He asked, addlepated. "No inquiries on wage or work hours or-"

"Nope. Not necessary. It is my time to repay the Underground what plenty they have given to me." Was my response.

"Ah… I see. Most excellent, and Welcome aboard." He uttered. He then proceeded to produce from his… "pocket" (a concealed hole of flexible metal on his right side) a booklet with instructions on what to do, and a pass which, after I pressed my right thumb on its emerald-like screen, produced my necessary information and a schedule of timings. Prima to Sexta, 3:00 BMH to 4:00 PMH. I thanked him, which he responded with an adieu as his wheels almost noiselessly whirled as he climbed the stairs out.

And that's how it all forewent.

Today is Septal, the penultimate day of the week.

And today, after over a week, I found a friend.

I closed my eyes, breathing the ambrosial air that oscillated between crisp and lukewarm feelings. And blond light showered the room, glinting and meandering and reflecting on the crystal walls. My hands were posed on the silken grass, the tips of my fingers caressing the earth below; which gave out a soft musk. It reminded me of the smell of the dirt after a rainy day. Had anybody seen a picture of the Underground's throne room, their first thought would have been that it was a botanic garden with fancy chairs. The Dreemurrs certainly did not treat it more significantly. I sat there, clad in light clothing, meditating on my past days. From back when I woke up in the care of Dr. Doge's care, to this day. A week. And how did I change? I knew I simply had bloomed into complexity. But there was more. A feel I simply could not put my finger on. However, my train of thought was unexpectedly halted by a sound, as if something was popping from the soil. Of course, in this case, it was actually somebody. I opened my eyes and stared back at the inky black spheres that were plastered in the silken face of a friend, who sported a toothy grin.

"Hello Flowey."

"Hey Frisk, congratulations on your interview!"

"Aw, thank you Flowey"

"Frisk who's… ah Hey, Flowey!"- Greeted from behind me the lilting voice of Asriel Dreemurr.

"Hey Dad"- Answered Flowey

All I did was peel my eyes.

"Ergh, Um, please don't call me dad..."- Quivered the young Dreemurr's voice. His paws fidgeted with anxious twitches that denoted his discomfort. "And please don't ask…" He pleaded me as he quietly backed away.

"Don't worry," Said Flowey "It was not anything wrong. Just a failed experiment that sheared him. And that shear became fertilizant for an over-pampered flower in this very garden." As he finished, he winked at me.

I simply stared back at him.

 ***-Division-***

My first day at the MTT News station was anything bar unordinary. Slightly peculiar, since it was a new experience, however, not bizarre. I believed I had to dress more formal than my shirt-pants-boots combo. Which is why I was clad in a cerulean A-line dress and dark leather boots as I jubilantly strode down the blank hallways of the news station. The drill was easy: Maintain a calm face and read the teleprompter that is on top of the camera (Since I still had not gotten "Screen O' Contacts™")

And thus it all began.

*Switch song to "Live Report" by Toby Fox, in Loop*

"Hello, and welcome to your matutine dose of news, here, at MTT Station. I'm Mettaton"

"And I'm Frisk."

"Let's begin."

And I began. "In an act which has no words in any current language, the Underground Fair-Shake Dogface Society has proposed the consumption of Monster ashes in order to theoretically inherit the magical powers of those deceased. Subsequently, an attempted robbery of Monster ashes in the town of Humurin in the Darile plains was deflected. The royal guard is currently investigating the crime scene, however, any attempts to contact General Undyne about this case have been answered with "I'm fu*bleat* trying to do my bloody job, da*bleat* it!". Hopefully we can later bring you more answers upon this topic."

"Thank you, Frisk." Mettaton continued after having audibly cringed at my news. "In other news, a rat named Fitzgerald was found hyperventilating before counting the harrowing tale of how he suddenly was transported to the head of a human, no less, as he spied on another who was speaking with acrid unknown words towards his mother, before being sent to the wardrobe of an emotionally unstable child who blamed him for the lack of air. All after he ate a piece of cheese that was resting on a table in a side path of Waterfall. Many would have taken this as debauchery had there been no strong spatial magic traces on his fur, which were detected by the Head Royal Scientist: Alphys Gudalokaya. His current state is stable, after he received an EBCC treatment for his PTSD, and is currently planning to write a book based on this."

"Well, that's curious. Is there any monster that could have falsified these traces?"

"Montserrat Serif might have been able to, had she not fallen down 34 years ago."

"Could sh-"

"No, I'm very well sure her ashes are still scattered throughout the Bone Pickle grove in Waterfall."

"MMM… ok."- I concluded as my eyes drifted towards the hovering words of the teleprompter.- "Now for technology, Chara Dreemurr, in collaboration with I-jun Laboratories has published the hyped and awaited version 8.7623w716 of the hit videogame "Mirmir's Diary: Lens of Darkness", the 112th world knows as "Emaringin" has been added, coupled with several new materials, crafts and bosses. It has been stated it will require 97 tebibytes of memory, so time to delete that 106-year-old cache!"

"Oooh, that's nice. Aaand, back to science, Assistant Scientist Lucas Warm has developed a computational algorithm that would theoretically prove 42 is the answer to everything. It would take me a couple of years to recite it, so let's leave it at that."

And thus, our harangues on the acts of many and little kept going as they descended into something I could only describe as a comical rant/discussion on why the heck it is not fashionable to wear Lava-burnt crabapples as teeth replacement. The invited fashionista was scandalized with my reasoning!

"Young girl,"-contended the hot pink, parrot-looking monster, as he exaggeratedly motioned his arm-wings and stared towards me with his sunglass-clad eyes, making me wonder if I would have already been shot several times had they been guns..-" I am the certifiably ultra-famous fashion designer Gusto Asinino, you are, well… your style is 380 years past its fashion prime!"

I opened my mouth as if to say something, my eyes pressed into a slight squint pressed upon the toothless beak of that abomination against fashion. But in the end, I simply gave up against his bumptious ideals.

 ***-Stop Music-***

 ***-Division-***

Put together a genius, a strategist, and a determined girl with an uncanny resistance to cold. What do you get? A team with a warlike master plan to dominate the snow sculpture competition at Snowdin.

And it failed, miserably, which explains how Lesser dog snatched the prize.

However, we are a trio composed of a Genius, a strategist, and a determined girl with particularly swift reflexes (which the guys found out about in the preceding Snowball fight after the competition, where they might have as well been of last name "Freezemurr" with their ice-sprinkled faces. Jejune fun that meant we had to go through cups and cups of the lukewarm, foul-tasting concoction Toriel made us drink "To keep the Flu out of us").

Which means we shall kill it at the 15th competition of Consortium of War-VR17. A several-hour competition held 9th Septal of every winter in which video game players from throughout the Underground battle in gargantuan maps. And today, we shall begin training.

Quartus, 7 Hours Past-Mid-Horizon and 79 Hours before the competition, and here we are in the Dreemurrs' backyard, a large expanse that contrasted with the more conservative Abode. Upon a wooden lawn chair I sat, immersed and virtually clad in tacky armor which was the result of an encounter with a particularly innocent looking cat. I glanced at my null score, as I whispered to nobody.

"I'm a freaking stinker at this."

"Welcome to the Unwashable's club then." Whispered back Asriel's callow voice.

"But really, I think your brother's secret power is to gather any luck that's around him, how many has he killed already? A trio of Trios' worth?"

"A quad of trios' worth!"- snapped back the elder brother. "Don't get it wrong! "

I turned back to him about to retort when I noticed a bluish man aiming towards Chara's back, who obliviously scoured the place for enemies. In the mere moment between my realization and my decision to react, my hand had already done the motions to throw the ax I handled. The weapon flew through the air at breakneck speed, like a bird startled at midnight. I do not think the man had any time to react, a muffled "D'oh!" was followed by a dry "Fwoomp" of his body falling.

"Lancer! Lancer! I hath been taketh downeth!"- He howled from his position, knocked down into the floor. Heavy footsteps trudging through the forest were heard not afar, Chara's arcadian face looked attentively at the forest, attempting to pinpoint the steps of what seemed a largish figure.

"I'm coming Da- Argh!"- Were his last words as Chara shot his Crossbow. Several moments birthed and reached quietus before we moved.

"Excellent work."- Whispered Chara as we approached the cadavers of our most recent victims.

We first encountered the blue man, his diamond face staring to the heavens with glassy eyes. It was uncanny how realistically the game simulated corpses, I pressed a button in the real world and a menu appeared in front of me.

Player: Rouxls Kaard Send Friend Request

Level: 133

27/369

Report?

He was not particularly loaded, although his armor was better than mine (And of course, I took it for myself), and he had some rations from which I replenished. His weapon, however, was taken by Asriel: An enchanted obsidian staff, suitable for magic. I took back my throw-ax and was about to move towards the other body (which Chara had already ransacked, as seen with his new helmet) just in time to hear a dull clink clink clink.

"Crap"- was all my mind managed to utter as the blinding light of the explosion sealed our fates.

I took off my headset, my toes were scraping the blunt edge of a stone as I sat there, half-pensive, half-wanting-to-go-and-give-the-punching-bag-a-piece-of-my-mind. We sat there for a couple of minutes, the zephyr on the leaves and one or other stray sound from the city being the only thing heard in the backyard before Asriel decided to break the silence.

"I, hate, holy grenades."

"Agreed"- Answered his brother.

"Anyways, should we keep going?" I asked -"We still have some time to sharpen up before the game."

"Nope, gotta do stuff."-Answered Chara non-charantly as he checked his phone. He jumped from his chair and strode towards the house. "See ya!"

I stared back at Asriel. I do not know what in his face gave it away, but I felt we were thinking the exact same thing, at the exact moment.

"Duos?"

"Sure."- I answered as I grabbed both my headset and Chara's and walked back to the house. "We should go inside though, in case your mom needs anything."

"Good idea."

Securing the next several hours for our endeavor was not a difficult task, Toriel was immersed in a virtual pile of paperwork, which even with her centurial expertise would take at least a couple of hours to fill out. Asgore, on the other hand, worked on the throne room garden, his furry paws blotched with brown and green tinctures diligently burying some yellowish pellets he was producing from a bucket. Sitting down on Asriel's bed, I cracked my knuckles, put on the equipment and let the games begin.

 **-*Division*-**

5 BMH. It was Chara's turn of making breakfast today, yet it would not be a lone task for him. Whilst he worked on what he called "Breakfast of Champions" (a bluish cream that has light-knows-what), my hands held a stygian loaf of bread that would (eventually) become toast. Mom said that the better pummeled bread was before baking the better the texture, and to be honest, it worked. The loaves were dense and earthy, especially when you bit one just out of the oven, as the steamy aroma tickled your nose.

Just the thought of it makes my mouth water.

Asriel mixed some Iced Coffees to jolt us up throughout the day, heavy cream, espresso, chocolate and yet another innumerably long list of things he threw in the blender. If the caffeine didn't wake us up, the sugar rush definitely would. An hour and a half and two mochaccinos later, three lightly-clothed teenagers jittered about on the living room's couches. Toriel shot us worried glances as we gulped down the thick concoction, Asgore more so as our eyes peeled and a stupid grin appeared on our faces afterward. Now, we virtually jumped on and about in the game's training room, fooling around in mad conceit. The last half an hour was a blur of ceaseless battling between each other and against the game's AI, several members of which were mindblown from the facts we knew about several of the weapons and magics we had at our disposal. In any case, fired up in more ways than one, we joined the lobby for the Preliminaries.

 **-*Division*-**

Chara peaked Charadom throughout the 3 stages of the preliminaries… and the quarters of final… and the semifinal. If normally he was already a killing machine, the coffee had unlocked something within him that made him an absolute beast with whatever he could get his hands on. He even took my battle-ax and threw it several paces away- dead on between a girl's eyes. And he did not seem ready to stop anytime soon. This competition seemed to be in our pockets, sure, Asriel and I had not been slouching either, myself peaking at 11 players in the quarters. We soon were transported from the lobby into the hovering crystal sphere atop a random place on the map (in this case, amidst a forest called "Hard Woods", whatever that meant). And thus, the games began. The floor opened and we were greeted by the swooshing sound of rushing air around our bodies, this feeling of falling was somewhat of a Deja vu. We were spies in the sky, watchmen at our heart's content of our enemy's positions, all before we kissed the dirt. There was no method of slowing down our falls, because who does even need to do this in the real world? All we did was fall from the sky and quite literally face-plant.

We stood up and began the battle, the initial weapon gathering was luckily quite arcadian, aside from some stray letter Y there were no enemies which could have hindered our progress. And it all began, we had to move east as the wall of locusts approached us. Battles now were not a piece of cake like in the preliminaries, but dance-like rituals of timing between matched enemies- Unless you were Chara Dreemurr. In that case, you would go around laughing like a maniac whilst you gave monsters new holes with your three-sided dagger.

And another one gone! And another gone! Another bites the- Oh wait! Wrong thing.

Half an hour later we were down to a hundred players who had survived the initial bloodshed of this game. However, that meant bombing and sniping would become a far more present threat to us. A camper hidden atop tree could easily place an arrow between the plates of your armor if you were not tenty. We currently sat atop a canyon, eyeing a group of froggits who had set camp down below, Asriel lifted his crossbow.

Fwimp.

Fwimp.

Fwimp.

It was all done.

A swift rappel to the bottom and a minute later we all held new equipment. These froggits were abhorrently loaded, I was even able to snatch a bloody Holy Grenade! And yet, with all this excitement from both the loot and the caffeine I could not off this feeling off me. It was this… inner pressure that adumbrated… something.

My lips moved by themselves, and I hollered.

"Duck!"

And with horror I watched the scene unfurl: A Rabbick suddenly shot a spell at Chara's back, whose neck was gored by a ponman with his lance, Gergeras. The most powerful weapon in the game. It did not deal the most damage, nor was the swiftest to attack. But if you were knocked down with that, you were dead. Just like that, you could not be revived like with any other weapon. Even with the lowliest of daggers a stab to the neck was most likely fatal. But in this case, Chara's fate was sealed. The deep male voice that accompanied by the white notification square at the corner of my screen assured me of that.

Your Ally Chara Dreemurr has been killed.

"Well, that's a pity."- Chara's tracheal voice murmured at my side in the real world.

It was simply a game- Even if it was a simple game, who would not, though? They killed my team's DPS in front of my eyes. My fingers moved on their own. The caffeine had improved my reaction time and had helped me with muscle memory, but this was ridiculous. I was dodging the nefarious spells, and nor the swordsman nor the lancer could deal a hit on me. And me… I swam in a red sea… My virtual hand was like that of a surgeon with the precision I beheaded the ponman, it swung around my falchion as a tiger would swing its claws. A stab in the heart, a mindblowing hit to the head.

And I peaked Charadom.

 **-*Division*-**

Gergeras' clashes against the bloxer's cleaver made the controller vibrate to the point my hand felt quite numb. Asriel would probably give me a hand had he not been engaged in his own strife, whacking a Bloxer ranger on the head with your crossbow is not ideal, more so because these creatures are quite hard-headed. I kicked its legs as Gergeras struck the final blow, a press of buttons later and both Asriel and I began to heal our wounds. I was down to 12% health. This was the best of the best, the finals. Without Chara our chances to win this had plummeted, and yet, we still survived. After applying some healing ointment on our wounds, we set a course towards Aldirac. Aldirac was one of the more largish settlements on the map, which not only meant globs of resources but urban attacks too. Our focus would need to be steadfast. The wall of locusts approached in, obviously sending on the northern part of Aldirac: The High District.

14\. 14 monsters had fallen to me now, and 23 monsters, including Asriel and I, were left. We settled inside one of the Villas, replenishing health and stamina. How many ambushes had we repealed until now? 3, 3 to be exact. And they were close. I got knocked down during the last one, a most certain death had Asriel not killed that damn vegetoid at the last moment.

"This is it."- Murmured Asriel after sipping the sickly green liquid of the Sea Tea.- "Endgame, Frisk. Endgame. If we survive another half an hour we win. See? We are down to 21 monsters including us."

"Yes."- I sighed. In real life we had barely broken a sweat, heck, the house was chilly most of the time. But in-game Asriel was sweat-drenched, his fur grimed with dirt, sweat, and entrails, I probably looked worse though. Far worse. He was a ranger and looked like a butcher, but I was the butcher. I wish there was a mirror in here. I sipped the last of the crabapple juice in my canteen and jumped to my feet. I grabbed Gergeras and motioned Asriel to follow me. The serpentine alleys between houses were both Godsend and Accursed. We were concealed from sight until found, at which point we would be toast. My real and virtual hearts pounded, Asriel could hear what I did, as he touched my shoulder and motioned. There were clearly heavy footsteps within a house not far from us. More than 1, More than 3. Mere seconds later and I already had thrown a golden pear at the now raging battle. We ducked.

"To blow them into bloody tidbits." I murmured as a lucent blanket fell upon me.

You have killed Kerlo Dorsi

You have killed Riro Borodom

You have killed Quereme Dorsi

You have killed Tata Mauo

You have killed Hau Ingi

Another one bites the dust.

Or that is what I thought until someone stabbed a machete in my leg. It doesn't matter if this was a game, losing 30% of my health because of a dalestone machete stab is not a pretty thing. A froggit head impaled on Gergeras even less so. A Jerry with several holes through them is yet another thing on the list.

But 7 were left.

Our trek brought us to a mansion, the wall was not afar behind us, probably a couple of hundred measures. The white walls shone an unstained glimmer, making the place feel like a seat of final judgment. Hmpf, how fitting.

"Yel-low Meowtherfuckers" - Snidely whispered someone behind us whilst Asriel yowled in surprise at his health bar being torn apart like the right side of his face. As I realized when I punched virtual Asriel, a mishap that luckily did not drain his now faint health, but threw off-balance the cat-like monster who had declared strife against our beings. With an effortless fluidity, our common enemy stood up- not without an attempt to make me as I did to her, and ran. I gave pursuit, leaving a now-thankfully-healed Asriel readying an Arrow. I did not realize, however, of the Katana thrown at my neck. Too late to realize because of my lunatic bloodlust, I fell down to a red screen of decadence.

Your Ally Asriel Dreemurr has knocked down Kerene Hardim

You have been knocked down by Gorez Hardim

Curses! I had now been vulneralized! I could bar attempt to move towards Asriel as he, with hawkeyed precision, shot explosive arrows at our feline adversaries. Shameless adversaries who shot spells at my weakened body! But luckily were all knocked down by the Dreemurr Prince. He ran towards me, 2 enemies. 2 enemies left and the prize was ours: 1000 G, enough high-quality items to be buried on after seeing your account balance had you bought them, and, of course, the most precious prize of them all: Bragging Rights for all eternity. And that prize was close, just 2 more. Just 2-

Your Ally Asriel Dreemurr has been knocked down by Tamara Chang.

You and your Ally Asriel have been killed by Default.

#2

Congratulations! You have received the Silver prize of the 15th competition of Consortium of War-VR17!

 **-*Division*-**

After an ominous silence that lingered in the room for several minutes, Chara slashed its thick curtain with his debonair voice. A comment that actually made me sweat coldly, well, either the comment and the caffeine crash coupled with the fact we only reached second place; or both.

"So Chang was playing too- Well, we were doomed from the beginning. Thank stars we didn't find her earlier in-"

"Wait, what?!"

"Frisk, you are new in here so probably don't know much about this. But you just do not win. Doesn't matter whether you find her in the real world. You play against her, you are fucked."

"Language young man!"- Came in Asgore's annoyed outcry from the kitchen. -"Just thank stars your Mother is with Alphys or else she would've heard you!"

In any case, we picked up our equipment, did chores and ended the day with a grin on our knackered faces. 100 G, enough items to defenestrate yourself after seeing your balance had you bought them, and of course, bragging rights. Had we won, it would have been their first time winning as a trio, but their fourth as a whole. For me, second place was enough. It sufficed.

 ****Intermission! (Just kidding. We ran out of material.)****

 _ **Watcher: That's it?!**_

 _ **Toby: Yap.**_

 _ **Watcher: Don't yap at me!**_

 _ **Toby: Don't make a fool of yourself, you know what I said!**_

 _ **Watcher: Whatever, we need to get the material.**_

 _ **Toby (Lenny-faced): You know what to do.**_

 _ **Watcher (murmuring): Sometimes... I absolutely loathe MyFly… (Goes off-screen)**_

 _ **Toby: *Gets the popcorn and sits on a sofa***_

 _ **Watcher: *Comes in clad in colorful tacky clothes and a fruit hat* Welp, we need to keep the show going.**_

 _ ***Begin The Macarena***_

 _ **Watcher: *Does the Macarena***_

 _ **When I**_ _ **dance**_ _**they call me Macarena**_

 _ **And the boys they say que soy buena**_

 _ **They all want me**_

 _ **They can't have me**_

 _ **So they all come and**_ _ **dance**_ _**beside me**_

 _ **Move with me**_

 _ **Chant with me**_

 _ **And if you're good, I'll take you home with me**_

 _ **Toby: *Globs popcorn in order to contain his own laughter***_

 _ **Watcher: Wait a minute, Toby you can be anthropomorphic! Come over here!**_

 _ **Toby: *Wide-eyed before attempting to escape* Oh fudge- *Is grabbed by Watcher* Nuuuuuu!**_

 _ **Toby: *Comes back dressed like Watcher* I hate you.**_

 _ **Watcher: So do I, but we need to get to work.**_

 _ **Toby and Watcher: *Do the Macarena***_

 _ **Dale a tu**_ _ **cuerpo**_ _**alegría Macarena**_

 _ **Que tu**_ _ **cuerpo**_ _**es pa'**_ _ **darle**_ _**alegría cosa buena**_

 _ **Dale a tu**_ _ **cuerpo**_ _**alegría, Macarena**_

 _ **Hey Macarena!**_

 _ **Somewhere in an alternate universe**_

 _ ***Insert MyFly and Haneditor (an editing hand) engrossed in such clamorous guffaws they would have died had they not been protected by Plot Armor™***_

 _ **MyFly: Oh gog! These idiots actually did it! *Takes out Phone and hits "Send" to his information journal* This will be an absolute next hit in Monstube! Just imagine: Two Doofi, one dance A most absolute hit!**_

 _ **Somewhere in an alternate universe**_

 _ **Watcher: Well, that was extremely humiliating.**_

 _ **Toby: I hate you.**_

 _ **Watcher: I care as much as you did when I told you not to eat my chimichanga!**_

 _ **Toby: It had Beans and Bacon!**_

 _ **Watcher: Whatever, let's see what that fly sent us-**_

 _ **Narrator: The moment Watcher saw the torrent of papers, They knew: They were f*cked up.**_

 _ **Toby: No way I am eating these!**_

 _ **Watcher (Emerging from the pile of documents with a mauve-tinged face): I need to get the shovel.**_

 **** End of: Intermission! (We finally got the material! :D)****

Today is Tria, AKA Game Day for both the station and the viewers. I was walking around attempting to get some things done.

"Ok, Download the script, have some tea, what else?" I thought to myself as I paced around the break room, a cup of tea on hand. "Right! Find Mettaton and ask him what we are doing! Well, nevermind, 5 minutes before we hit the air" This last part I murmured to myself, gulping down the last sips of my now temperate tea, and placing the mug on the dishwasher, I rushed towards the stage. A minute left and I stood beside Mettaton on the side of the same chamber where my interview was conducted, papers in hand (to keep appearances) I awaited the signal. The cameramon lifted 4 fingers, I breathed in, and moments later, we were on air.

"Welcome Gentlemon and Gentlebeauties. Mettaton here."

"And Frisk here."

"Welcome to the Furry Games!"

"Today's invitees are: Doge Siriam Fox, Katherine Cattan, and-" I twitched momentarily at the last name on the list. "T- Tamara Chang. We also have a special invitee. Since Prince Asriel Dreemurr could not join us today due to the Goat-Flu, we have therefore snatched a visitor from the Lobby and brought her here. So, an applause for our special visitor, Nepeta Leijon!"

 ***Vinyl Scratch sound***

 _ **Toby: Did this just become a Homestuck crossover?**_

 _ **Watcher: How should I know? I'm just the Author.**_

 _ **Toby: … I'll root on my cousin.**_

 _ **Watcher (smirking): Are you betting?**_

 _ **Toby: … No.**_

 ***Insert Vinyl beginning to play sounds***

The public's general ovation filled the room like a sonorous rustle of insect wings that echoed through the arena-like walls. A bizarre feeling crept upon my back, a phony deja-vu of sorts. How long ago did I sit where those podiums were? 2 weeks? 3? I walked towards the side, leaving Mettaton to the spotlight, my sight steadfast on my button in order to prevent him from messing this up. Within an acrylic booth concealed by the cameramon, I sat beside a small table, and placed the monitors in my ears and hovered my hand atop a slight yellow button. If Mettaton began to fall into an advertising ramble, it would be my duty to press that button in order to break him from it. This slight button would direct my voice within his steel skull, breaking him from his bewitched state, which for some reason fazed him.

And thus, there began the questioning, mostly popular culture, but I guess it was knowledge. It began slowly, Tem and the Purplish, short Feline Monster leading the strife, being from time to time interrupted by Doge or the Cat-girl. That girl did not strike me as a monster, however. Granted, her owlish eyes, grayish skin, horns, feline features and overall lack of nose did set her apart from Humans, and yet, there was something unsettling about her. In my own thoughts, I heard Mettaton descending onto yet another ramble about his products as a result of his conversation about Cat Kibbles with Ms. Cattan. Oh fudge!

With alacrity as a result of my alarm, I smashed the button.

My voice was a glacial whisper, for some reason. "Mettaton! You are getting out of line, Get on with it!"

"And you see, MTT Kibble could also be- Err..." He stopped, twitched for a moment, looked at me, nodded, and looked back to the players. "Well, doesn't matter. Now, for 150 points! What's the answer to everything?"

Leijon smashed the button. "Is it… 42?" Her dulcet, but deep and almost purr-like voice answered.

"Correct!"

By the end of the program, the catgirl had advanced to the first position, closely followed by Chang. Whatever had just happened here was short of unbelievable, Tamara had not come in first place as I would have anticipated! No doubt both Mettaton and Moustacho would make News off this situation. But to me, that did not matter. That catgirl, special guest by sheer chance and winner of this week's gameday.

I never saw her again.

 **-*Division*-**

It's a beautiful day outside.

Birds are singing, the flowers are blooming.

On days like these…

It's quite a wonderful thing to take a stroll at New Home's park.

I received a green light from the Dreemurrs, who were quite bemused by an action movie on their Hoverscreen. Clad in light clothing and flip-flops, I meandered through its basalt paths, and a warm, sweet-smelling waft of wind lingered around. Beyond the barrier, the pangs of late winter would compel one to burrow oneself amidst a mountain of thick blankets. But under several tons of rock and with one of Dharringe's veins running not afar below your feet, it would be madness not to take a stroll from time to time. But tell that to Asriel Dreemurr.

In the distance I could see Chara amidst a group of monsters, he seemed to be particularly enthralled an arachnid monster who sat by his side, whom he had embraced by the waist. This was… definitely expected. Chara Dreemurr's degree of Social Butterflyism is definitely something off the charts, no, with him, I'd say there were never charts to begin with. That youth was smoother than Mettaton after a day at the Metalworks. I would actually have been astonished had he not been in a relation. I still felt curious, who was that girl?

It doesn't matter, though. I walked towards the center of the park, Hillake. Atop the monolithic slate and dirt hills, and amidst the hanging rock manglers, endemic to New Home is a crystal lake of great beauty. Child of the Glacier atop Mt. Ebbot, its gelid waters are a bitter temptation for those that feel beleaguered by the warmth, or what would be some toasty weather if it literally was not late winter. That definitely does not deter monsters from bathing in this glacial pool. Onion-like octopi drifted with wide grins upon their cardinal faces. I sat down upon a lakeside bench, dug out my phone, and began reading my book. It was a fairly obscure book within a fairly obscure website I randomly found.

"My bones were algid, with the deluge that had been mightily pouring over the forest on the mountainside. Withal, it helped me to wash off the well-known sensation of despair that surrounded my soul. No tears. None at all, for, at last, I knew true freedom from the claws of the darkness. The howls of rage still resounded within me, though, which chilled my will, albeit the pain had been lost long ago. I lifted my head with a beleaguered look in my dark eyes, avidly looking for refuge against the weather."

This bestowed a strange feeling of Deja-Vu upon me, it is reminiscent of something, but for light's sake, I can't remember!

"psst" I head from behind me and turned back to find myself face to face with a boned face.

"Sans?"

"ha! ya remembered this bone, didn't cha?"

"I mean, I felt in my bones we would meet again- oh gog."

"eyyyy"

"You barely said to me a couple of words, and defenses become puny! What's wrong with you?"

"guess my words got a bone to pick with you, they gave your brains a mortal wound"

"You got the guts to come up with that?"

"no I don't" He grinned.

That's it, I could not hold my laughter any longer.

It was not a sonorous cachinnation or anything like that. Bar a low neck-borne sound that sounded like a ragged hacking, I was absolutely wheezing. Darn it! This bloody skeleton (Non-Canon Sans: eyyy! Narrating Non-Canon Frisk: Oh, for star's sake!) was pure comedic relief!

"SANS FOR HIS NOODLINESS SAKE! WHAT DID YOU DO?!" Yowled a rather nasal voice from afar, I was looking down my hands on my thighs whilst I attempted to regain my composure. Who was this guy? That voice, though.. It… reminded me of something. I heard heavy-footed footsteps dashing towards our position

"sup paps"

"WHY DID YOU MAKE THIS LITTLE GIRL CRY?!"

And my defenses were broken again, by now tears poured from my cheeks, my throat and lungs were on fire. These two skeletons were breathtaking! (sans: eyy- Watcher: Shut up.) It was curious how everybody referred to me as a little girl, granted, I was sixteen. But to begin with, I was the height of an eleven-year-old. To top it off, I barely had physically developed. I was essentially a freaking loli, for light's sake!

"SEE?!"

I wiped my tears, reached up and patted the back of his armor, it was truly a monumental effort not to break down into a fit of snickering.

"Don't worry," My voice was coarse, my breath was slightly jagged. "he's just tickling my funny bone."

"Paps"'s vacuuming gasp ensued a several-second long flabbergasted stare towards me "HUMAN?!" He gasped again, and somehow, his… eye sockets began twinkling rather madly. "YOU ARE THAT GIRL FROM METTATON'S SHOW! I, THE GREAT PAPYRUS GASTER, SHALL PRESENT MYSELF TO THEE!" Papyrus took an almighty inhalation and spoke. "I'M PAPYRUS, THAT'S SANS. COULD I PLEASE ADD YOU IN UNDERNET?"

I could not say no to that face. I serendipitously did have an Undernet account, which was mostly just my news feed. But I guess Papyrus became my second friend, after Mettaton himself. My feed was soon flooded with pasta-related things, but hey, this guy was interesting!

To my bad luck, however, after a short chat with the Skeletons and them leaving due to a "Date with Gramps", whatever that means, I fired up Poodle Browser to find myself on the starting page, I had pressed the Close and Clean button!

And I murmured to myself. "Darn it. I can't find my book again."

 **-*Division*-**

"So… why don't you join us in there Flowey?" I questioned curiously.

Through this time I had lived with the Dreemurrs, not once had Flowey joined us at anything. Not a walk, not a game night, nor anything at all. The scant times I had seen them, he simply beamed towards the stonelights with his canny face. Could it be because he was a plant? Unlike a plant-type monster such as a vegetoid, Flowey the Flower was that, a sentient golden flower with the ability to channel magic. Flowey did not have a protozoan structure within him, nor a fungal structure like a mushroom-type monster. He was an outlier, made one hundred percent out of plant material and liquid magic. There were dozens of papers on the theory behind his structure that I read through. After all, he was a unique being within the Underground. But even if he was figured out through and through physically, I still could not find out why he had this… cryptic feeling of his. I had not noticed it until I realized Asriel was his "father", and I all in all could not pinpoint what was this… feeling. I nevertheless still wondered why he did not join us, it was borderline worrying. Looking around me essentially all monsters were these highly sociable beings, even Asriel, being an introvert, still showed his true colors as an emotional goofball mixed in with genius. But Flowey? He just… photosynthesized.

"To be honest," He began softly. "it's just not my thing. I prefer to just, you know, chug in some light and water after work. Maybe eat some fertilizer, read some biology magazines. Nothing complex. Playing games and all is somewhat fun, but… eh…" He shrugged.

"Oh." Well, that answers it.

 **-*Division*-**

There's this thing called Concord, a webchat client that consisted of "servers" were people would talk about their interests.

It all began with a reading server…

Which led me to a CoW VR17 server-

Which led me to a social server, which-

Well, it doesn't matter.

I called myself "TarrareanWither27", one because I eat too much, the other because I had prominent shoulder bones. 27? 27 because why the heck not.

1PewPew1: **[IMG]**

TarrareanWither27: What the heck is that?

FurrtasticGoatee: Some Spider type from Hotland.

TarxisQueenOfThisSubmarine: Eh… do you eat it or-

FurrtasticGoatee, AKA Asriel Dreemurr. It was actually him how I had found this exact server, a social server about… Stuff. He had the subtitle "Local Nerd ?" under his nametag in the User List. Quite fitting, to be honest. I asked him about it, he said he was actually quite proud of being labeled that.

"I have marked my territory." He had pridefully said in that youthful voice of his. He was soon approaching 519, and yet he was still stuck in the body of a 15-year-old. His maturity did show his lifespan though, as sometimes his insight on stuff made him look far older. He was an old man stuck in the body and mind of a teenager-A teenager just half a hand taller than myself.

TarrareanWither27: Ah… I see.

Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious: **1PewPew1** Ooh, invite me! ? ﾟﾑﾌ? ﾟﾘﾋ? ﾟﾘﾍ

FurrtasticGoatee: To each their own. I'm a snail type of guy, not a caramelized spider kind of guy.

Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious: **FurrtasticGoatee** I call blasphemy on that! ?

TarxisQueenOfThisSubmarine: I'll stick to my wood tysm

1PewPew1: ?

TarxisQueenOfThisSubmarine: **1PewPew1** eyyy ? ﾟﾘﾁ?

I sat on the bed, chuckling at the chaos that was unfolding in front of my eye, before a notification caught my eye.

Pelele696969 has sent you a message.

Lele was an acquaintance I met a week ago in a book server, and had grown close to. They were of the amiable sort. A little nuts, but I had yet to see him making fun of anybody. Well, unless it was to burn those that made fun off other monsters.

Pelele696969: Hey Wither. A friend and I got a little project going on. _. /UJ8gq31ba_

Join and send it to a person you trust.

TarrareanWither27: Ok.

I pressed the invitation, and joined another server.

"Realm of Madness: A social server."

(bot)ZeBotto: Welcome **TarrareanWither27**! Please, read the _#guidelines_ before entering. Have a good day!

Well, this sounded fun.

I went back to my private messages,and switched to Asriel's folder.

TarrareanWither27: Hey Asriel

FurrtasticGoatee: ?

TarrareanWither27: Lele sent me a server invite. _. /UJ8gq31ba_

He told me to send it so somebody I trust. Its a social server?

FurrtasticGoatee: ? ﾟﾑﾀ? Great! I'm in.

I went back to the server.

(bot)HolyMoley: **FurrtasticGoatee** has joined! Welcome! ^-^

FurrtasticGoatee: Thanks! :) **(bot)HolyMoley**

TarrareanWither27: Welcome! **FurrtasticGoatee**

FurrtasticGoatee: Thanks! **TarrareanWither27**

Weeks later, the once 50+ member server was down to 7 of us. No more robots. The details are still quite fuzzy. But they were just… not commited. In a single week we lost a dozen, then more, then the robots fell out of use and were kicked out for no reason. Those that stayed, though, well, we seemed to bond well. As the name suggests, it was pure madness. Battles of written rap, psychotic banters, and meme wars that ended up with Lele having to shut up half the server- unless he himself was battling, in which case he would quietly go AFK.

I also discovered you do not attack The Strife of the Galaxies (Watcher: Essentially, Star Wars), or Asriel Dreemurr WILL get pissed off.

In the end, I was having fun.

Every day, all I looked forward, was a list. This list:

 _Members_

FurrtasticGoatee

LaLyriaLariFuckoff42

Pelele696969 [Admin]

Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious

TarrareanWither27

TarxisQueenOfThisSubmarine

WololeanBollocks11

 **-*Division*-**

Not long after my third-of-year anniversary since having fallen down, the winter finally reached a quietus at last. Not that it would do much difference on most of the Underground at first, but the plants of the Darile plains would not miss a beat in greening up and displaying their kaleidoscopic colors to the world. Thus, we got the Spring Festival. A swift ride downstream led us to one of the Platforms of Plainstown. The cobblestone streets lead into the center of the town, like a river separating the Brickery houses. A steady walk amidst these houses is quite Humbling, amidst this modern world, many have learned to… just live. Like their ancestors once did. The aura was arcadian. Many today would have probably gone to the recently opened Battle Center in New Home (Some enterprise by a random company), meaning that when we arrived at the center of the town it was not a hundred-thousand-monster-laden town square.

Not to say it was empty, though. Throughout the labyrinthine passages of the bazaar seldom did I see a stall with less than five monsters. The sights… smells… sounds... Gog!

If anybody ever thought the TTT lites would rid of any market for hand-made goods, they most probably would right have been bonking their heads after realizing the sheer far-fetchedness of their assumption. This place, it was huge! (Toby: That's what she said!). To each side, rows, and rows of stores that blended into the distance. Foods, toys, tools, keepsakes… weapons?

Well, it did not matter. Reaching the dancing fountains at the very middle, we split up, with the condition we would meet there two hours after.

Of course, I followed my gut and homed directly for the croquet roll place. 50 G later my teeth were tearing apart at the crispy stick of one of the mallets. Gog, they were delicious! Spiced Pickled water sausage covered in this sweet, cakey dough. It didn't matter where you bit, there was always this crunch as your teeth sank into the thing. Add some parsley sauce and it becomes heaven…

I was thankful for dimensional boxes. I normally did not spend much in stuff, but stars! Slight useless things, what's less significant in life? Maybe some hearty donuts from a crazy-eyed hathy, or an Arachnead Cider ("Made with real spiders!", according to them. It… was not bad at all? Sweet, tangy, piquant- but unexpectedly nice tasting. This explains some stuff.) Or some carved mechanical cube where you would have to match all sides.

In the month that I have owned this phone, it had become a key part of my life. From plain calls and directions to dimensional boxes, Tem videos, and stars, I even bought some electronic books! It was quite spendy, I mean, 2,500 G for a folding slick piece of ivory ceramic. Beveled sides that cupped into my hand, and glistened under the crystal's light, a holographic screen that has several times fooled me into thinking it was a window (definitely not a proud moment, in my opinion.), a camera that took realistic pictures-

This is one of the marvels of underground technology.

On the very back of the fanfare and colour of the majority of the bazaar, stood a destitute table, to the brimful with variegated large bags of wild berries- yet no monster even giving it a look. There, tall but humble stood a leather-clad young woman. A deep purple fringe concealing her eyes. I approached.

"How much?" I asked.

"20 G a bag." She spoke. It was a honeyed voice, deep, guttural, and yet gloom. I gulped.

I didn't even take out my phone. By sheer serendipity I had coin G on hand. I gave her the square 100G coin I had in my pocket, got two bags, and told her to keep the change. She still looked down to the floor, a faint "thank you" escaping from her lips.

50G per bag I paid, and I still felt filthy, almost as if I had stolen from her.

I was lucky. How not long after falling down I easily got a job and began to have a stable life. All because I was human. Some form of inherent racism had helped me. But even in this utopian society there are cracks. Nothing is perfect. Up there on the surface, these cracks are pretty large, and are like a wall between people. Here, they are slight, but still walls between people. Some do fall for their foolishness, but what about those dragged?

I did not know that girl. But I felt it. No, I saw it. She had a fit body, she seemed to be hardworking. But in the end, she was the statistic. I felt saddened at realizing this. Being trapped in the bottom and without Should I have given here more? But… what if she felt offended? What if- I- did not know. I then slapped myself for being so self-conceited. Turning back, I was about to stride, determined to give her whatever I had in my pockets, before an alarm blared off my phone. 5 minutes left from the 2 hours.

Even if I did not believe in any higher power, that night a thank resonated from within me. I felt grateful for how far I had gotten yet.

And still.. It felt… horrible.

 **-*Division*-**

I can't believe this day has finally come. The day I stood in my own apartment, one paid with my own sweat. Not once the Dreemurrs accepted part of my remuneration as a payment for all the help they gave me, instead they joked they would get it back, eventually, through taxes. But that did not matter to me, I had lived with them for just a little over half a dozen weeks behind half a year. But one day, I simply woke up, went to work, came back, checked by bank account, did my chores, sat down and began to hunt for apartments. I then realized just how well I was being paid. After taxes, I would earn a tidy sum of around 180,000 G per year (Watcher: Around $36,000, or 24,000 cans of Pringles. Choose well!). The thing is, the Underground is utopic. In other words, everything is as cheap as air, and most probably cheaper. A rent-to-buy apartment in a decent neighborhood at New Home's outskirts costs a total of 270,000G. And by sheer luck, this aforementioned felt like the right one. 2 bedrooms, a bathroom, kitchen/dining room/living room, a service room, and even a private terrace of an actually decent size!

I had a little over 63,000 G in my bank account, subtract 20,000 for the first payments, 18,000 for the furniture, and you are left with a very leeched Frisk. But hey, that's what happens when you overspend decorating your house. The purchase and setup was very video game-like, from thousands of choices, I stuck up with this post-modernistic rustic style of wood and canvas in all tones of brown. From simulated driftwood and darkwood sofas, which sides seemed to be a pair of interlocking squares that blended into this cream-toned soft canvas, to utilitarian chairs from recycled wood, blotched with the remains of a thousand trees, and puzzle-like wall-art to blend with the oil-based eggshell bisque tones I had chosen.

In the end, it took 3 days to set everything up for the customizers, as a Triple T lite would not be able to construct this. For this particular application, you needed an industrial six-pack.

The Dreemurrs were heavily ambivalent in my decision. On one hand, they were thrilled for me, exultant as I was since, well, it was the next step in life, I guess. I was not going to have any constant guiding hand henceforth. And yet, there was this forlorn feeling in the air, we all cherished each other within our souls. Granted, it was only a 20-minute walk between their residence, but… you simply can not just dodge this feeling.

The apartment's smell reminded me of the Spring festival just a week before this. We stepped into its ceramic floor, it felt… warm. Not homely like the Dreemurr's house, but… It was warm.

Just like I'd designed it. It exuded this… raw feeling, cabin-like, wild, but tamed and understated and modernized.

"Not bad" I thought to myself.

And that day henceforth I never wondered how Monsters in the Underground got Takeout: They literally sent it through TTT lite. Ah… Sierra Pienada-style food. Quite spicy, to be honest. Poor Chara had to resort to the sweeter Water Sausage in Steu after downing 2 glasses of milk as a result of him trying the Egghplanted Steak in Pakal Sauce. Normally his bony cheeks would have this rosy character to them (pretty much most of his body did. He did go shirtless through the house from time to time. But his build was… not quite lean, but less muscular able than those of the Boss Monsters. His elbows also had that rosier quality to them, just like his feet. Asriel, on the other hand, well, I never saw him with less than a T-shirt and shorts. I was not able to tell from his fur, but he definitely had not much muscle. But had yet to lose some of what seemed to be baby fat), but after taking the bluish sauce-laden piece of plant into his mouth, oh boy, did his face take the tone of his eyes.

"For star's sake Frisk, what in the world did you order?!" He exclaimed whilst cleaning a tear that rolled down his cheek.

"Egghplanted Steak in Pakal sauce." I said as matter-of-factly as I could, of course, attempting not to join the rest of his family in their congregational boffola.

Ahh, Dreemurrs. What a lovely Family, but poor of the downtrodden member as when in a direly awkward situation! They shall brighten everyone else's say! Not Asgore, not Chara, Not I, stars, not even Toriel managed to dodge these amused looks at her expense.

But in the end, after laughs and talks and Asriel falling to his brother's fate, although with the Spicilicious™ (OK, who the heck comes up with these names?) Pothatho rolls, (Yes, Chara strikes back. And yes, those rolls were delicious), they had to leave for their house. And my apartment became a desolate place.

Well, that until my TTT Lite spat out a cowplant named Gyros, whom I had back ordered when furnishing the house. He looked at me… bemusedly?! It seemed my new companion-for-life was a sassy piece of cabbage. He had this gorgeous black fur, and button-like stygian pools that concealed his dark soul, or, at least impish soul. He looked like a cow, well, his head did, since from neck through roots it was all a labyrinthine tangle of fur-clad roots that buried into his moist soil. From his head a pair of ivory mounds sprouted. And of course, a pinkish nose stared at me, taking abyssal, moo-like breaths. His Pot was a piece of carved wood, from which I would not have to move him for 20 years!

Of course, my first reaction was to move him to the coffee table, snap a picture and upload it to Concord.

 **[IMG]**

TarraeanWither27: Got a Cowplant lol.

Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious: Oh my gog! It's so cute!

TarraeanWither27: Thanks Cali! ^-^

Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious: :cat_joy: :eye_heart: I would kiss it to Death

TarxisQueenOfThisSubmarine: **Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious** Agreed!

FurrtasticGoatee: Oh! **TarrareanWither2** 7 You got a debbertarmener!

WololeanBollocks11: **FurrtasticGoatee** FFS DONT RUIN IT WITH NERD CHAT FURRY

FurrtasticGoatee: ;P

WololeanBollocks11: :C

I disconnected, sat down, and began stroking Gyros felt-like fur. His breathy respiration was the only sound in the apartment. Back when I ordered him, the app had mentioned whether I would like to customize his behavior, or whether I would like to leave him to develop by himself.

Honestly, it was horrifying. Yes, Cowplants are not Monsters, they don't have a "Soul", in the sense that Humans, Monsters, or Dragons had. But it was undeniable they felt emotions, they could think, although not fear death, disease, danger… to them, it was simply a part of life. Stars, sometimes I wished I were like them, sometimes I wished I could only feel love, and understand pain. I did not feel pain now, and yet, ever since before falling down the Underground, I had not felt… this lonely. I placed Gyros on my coffee table and walked towards my bedroom. Tomorrow I had to work, and there was no way I was going to sleep without a nice bath.

 **-*Division*-**

TarraeanWither27: I think we should meet irl.

Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious: Huh?

TarrareanWither27: I mean, we should meet at a park and… hang out or smthing.

WololeanBollocks11: Y?

TarraeanWither27: Why not? It isn't like we would bad to each other, we already talk every day

TarxisQueenOfThisSubmarine: But don't you think this would be too weird? We haven't even VCed yet

WololeanBollocks11: Agree with Tarxis, this will be weird af

Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious: You all r weird already SMH

TarraeanWither27: Agreed. But you in?

FurrtasticGoatee: I'm not into this.

TarxisQueenOfThisSubmarine: Aww… why not?

TarrareanWither27: I know him irl, he's a recluse. ^-^

FurrtasticGoatee: Hey! :-(

Pelele696969: What are you talking about?

FurrtasticGoatee: Read up.

Pelele696969: I'm in

WololeanBollocks11: Should I call Lyria?

TarrareanWither27: Sure

LaLyriaLariFuckoff42: My ears r ringing. The fu ur talking about?

TarxisQueenOfThisSubmarine: Meeting irl.

LaLyriaLariFuckoff42: Im in. Do I bring popcorn? I want to see how ya guys become emotional

Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious: FGS

TarraeanWither27: Anyways, all but Furry?

WololeanBollocks11: Sure

FurrtasticGoatee: Yep.

Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious: Yep

LaLyriaLariFuckoff42: Already said im in

TarxisQueenOfThisSubmarine: Sure

TarraeanWither27: Pelele?

Pelele696969: Sorry AFK for a sec

Pelele696969: Im in

TarxisQueenOfThisSubmarine: wait- how the hell did you convince us?!

FurrtasticGoatee: **TarxisQueenOfThisSubmarine** She be smooth. ;-)

TarraeanWither27: **FurrtasticGoatee** Shhhh… ;)

And it was settled. With the exception of Asriel, everyone from our private Concord server was in to meet at Hotland's Omphalos. I honestly felt uneasy at this, not that I distrusted them. But, to begin with, I'm one of the handful of humans in the Underground, and to top it all, I am Mettaton's bloody assistant. But I had taken the cat out of the bag, and it was the moment to tackle the claws. I was running somewhat late due to a certain Cowplant complaining on not being petted.

Hotland's obsidian Omphalos glistened under the warm glow of the crystals, It was curious how every section of the underground had their own crystal color. From the violet glow of Home, and the cyan glow of Snowdin through the berry-red crystals of the Ulnular sea, which christened its nickname of "Blood Ocean". Rumors say that up beyond the Coldtain range, where only glaciers of crystalline ice exist for miles below the packed snow, there are caverns with pitch-dark crystals! Although the only who would know the truth first-hand would be Gerson, and even then, he only speaks of this particular expedition amidst a drunken stupor. A thing that although ubiquitous still leaves him watching his own words, product of centuries of politics.

Finding the guys amidst many a monster was not difficult, after all, if a group of teenagers came to Hotland's Omphalos, they would most likely be roaming the great market within the building instead of having a conversation in the middle of the stone park. There they were, an emo-clothing-clad fungus, a chubby humanoid parrot wearing nothing bar their emerald plumage, an anthropomorphous spider, who I honestly think has a wonderful clothing style because of how her wine sheath dress blends with her lilac skin, and of course, two hare-like monsters. My guess? The Twins: Lyria and Lean.

"Hullo."

"Frisk- I mean…why are you here? Does that mean that bastard of Mettaton is here too?!"

"I'm Wither, and I don't think he would appreciate being called a "Bastard". Though he is not here unless his hobby is to stalk me."

"What the Fu-" Began the female hare, her fiery brown eyes staring down at me. She was definitely Lyria. She had this high pitched, raspy voice. Amber eyes stared down to me. Just like her brother, she had this very dirty blonde covering the exposed parts of her fur. It was quite amused when I noticed her clothing style was not different than that of her twin, they both were neck to ankle clad in Denim, as both their jackets and pants were of the darker tones of this material. Their shirts were bright pastel colors, Lyria's a light teal with a poop emoji in the middle, Lean's was a dirty gray with an emoji rolling his eyes. They wore no shoes, however.

"Prove it." Began the Emushroom (Dogdang it sans! Toby: Hey! Don't get me involved in this!) their eyes glittered with this bluish light, heck, I could almost see… a flame within them? "Prove you are Wither."

The Spider woman simply stared with amusement, a smirk on her fanged lips as her beady eyes shone towards me, she definitely was holding back laughter. We both knew who each other was. I was the fallen down girl who stayed with the Dreemurrs, she was Chara's Girlfriend: Muffet Arachneas. In real life, I honestly had not treated her much aside from a passerby "Hi". On the other hand, while talking through Concord, I easily understood how Chara Dreemurr was head over heels for her. Her quick-tonged friendly snark and wit-laden response to any comeback were just the beginning, but, without going in-depth, they were the most fitting pair I knew of. Not Asgore and Toriel, nor any pairing from any book I had yet read- except Lejerry, from the Jerry Harvens series (Watcher: AWW's version of Harry Potter. She's talking about Harmony. Or in this case, Jerry and Lemony from her book). Growling made them for each other, and nobody can change my mind about it!

I inhaled and simply said. "You are Tarxis, right?" They nodded. "Well, a couple of hours ago you sent me a Gusto Asinino fashion article through PM. Then you sent in a GIF of a trollface asking whether I was mad. By the way, I ain't." And for some stupid reason, I stuck my tongue out at them.

Tarxis looked around in bewilderment for a second, stared at me, scarfed down some air, and spoke. "Well, fuck. Sorry Frisk."

Muffet was definitely holding in her laughter.

"Hey Lyria." I turned towards one of the hare-like monsters.

"Yes?" She answered.

"Didn't you say you were bringing popcorn?" I mocked.

"Fuck you!"

And that's the day I began to socialize with real monsters, not just hidden in the security of fourth walls (such as a certain Author. (Watcher: Hey!))

Turns out Tarxis' name is Zion, Lyria and Lean are actually Karen and Spencer. Lele turns out, actually just asked us to call him "Lele" ("Long story," He said.) Cali, of course, is Muffet.

It was quite a nice conversation, to be honest. High on sugar from our sodas, you could almost have said we knew each other from childhood. Teenage banters and boisterous statements, all mixing in with trivial gossip and general jejune insouciance.

"What the heck Zion!" Began Spencer, clearly irritated at an image Tar- Zion was passing around.

"It's just a me-" They attempted to defend themselves before being interrupted again.

"You and your stupid memes! Nobody cares about dick jokes!"

"Awww, but-"

Amidst our youthful palaver, a raspy voice elevated in the distance. Lele froze, showered in a cold bath of terror. In his eyes, there was no more glimmer. It was more of the look of a sanctioned about to be executed. He stared into the distance.

"Leenhard Leimbwerkx!"

I turned, a parrot-like monster with the bitterest look I had seen in my life, half-striding-half-waddling towards were we were. And- she… had… no neck, this being more clear since her marigold plumage was puffed up.

She lifted her right-wing, and clasped it on her son's left shoulder "Who the hell gave you permission to be here." She ignored us as if we were not there. Her voice was raspy, breathy, full of hate. And her breath… I was not close to Lele, but her breath heavily reeked of the dankness of cigars.

"Mom I-"

"No buts you fucker. You are coming with me right now!" She turned and walked away with him.

Were we cowards for not defending our friend? Of all of us, Lele was the most deserving of help. Always cheery and steadfast in his search for people to befriend and help. We stood there frozen as his mother took him away, her hand glued to his shoulder. The mall was packed, teeming with the life of a beating city. To us, however, it might have as well been dead.

I suddenly felt nauseous.

That night, my back stood bare against the bathroom mirror, and I admired the myriad of slight cuts and pinpricks that tattooed it.

- ***Division*-**

I didn't know what to think of this. Gyros deep snores penetrated the lightless abode whilst I pensively stared at my phone. I honestly don't know whether this is a revelation… or it has always been within me. I look around me, I stare back and kind of see it- But it leaves my soul in doubt. Memories of yore go through my mind, it's clear. It's very clear…

All those moments as a child… all those yells as a young teen… all the experiences with the Dreemurrs. Everything aligned.

I was now sure, I. absolutely. loathe. shoes.

That warm, constraining feeling around your skin is sickly, the lack of air, of contact, how when you walk on a lawn only feel the flabby insole of your boot or the lukewarm constriction on your foot! How the heck have I lived like this for years?!

I remembered how Mom told me people frowned upon those that wouldn't wear shoes. How the man would scold me when not wearing these old boots.

How while living with the Royal Family how half the time my feet would be clad in just air.

Is this a mind-bending revelation? It doesn't matter. There is still the problem that the terrain is quite rough, enough to be an annoyance to what would have been my recently anointed feet. I realized that those who spend their lives unclad in footwear have thick padding on their soles. I'd noticed Asriel, Asgore and Toriel all had them, sable pads under their paws which seemed solid enough to fend off a stray nail. It made me wonder, though, whether there was a substitute.

There was, 175 G for a can of it. Pricy. I paid for the one-time use blueprint and sent it to the Triple-T, where a can, about twice as tall as my hand was wide greeted me.

"Wuduro's Foot Spray

-A year's worth Supply-

For children and bedbound

It makes the soles of your paws harder!

Warning: do not apply in any other parts of the skin, contact your doctor if so happens.

Apply once every 33 days."

I washed my feet, sprayed the stuff on my soles, and walked off for a test drive.

In other words, nearly all my shoes (Just the old pair of boots, the cerulean boots, my sandals and a pair of sneakers, as I left for myself a pair of furry boots, and a pair of dress shoes) ended up in the donations bin at the local recycling center as raw material.

The next day was pretty regular, however. Clad in jeans and a turquoise tunic, I grabbed my bag, filled Gyros bowls and left for work. New Home's temperate climate gave in to Hotlands balmy one after a ride with the River Person. It was curious how several monsters just… spawned from the purplish mist that surrounds the boater. Monsters of multifarious assortment, clad in variegated costumery, as if a Tem had eaten a rainbow and suddenly vomited. As cruel as that sounds, it is the most likeness I could portray to this… this fashion taste, indeed a sure mark of Gusto Asinino's.

I arrived at the station with half an hour to spare. 25 G less in my pocket and a couple of minutes later, I sat on a bench sipping on a cinnamon macchiato as I read my feed on the Undernet. After going through Papyrus' constant spam of puzzles and ElBigoteFeeds Quizzes on "Which pasta would suit your personality?" (Which Papyrus himself claimed was "COMPLETELY AND UTTERLY INACCURATE", since he got Rigatoni in Cowplant and Crabapple stew), and Muffet's constant cascade of selfies and pictures with her boyfriend, I found some rather interesting articles from a startup publisher in Snowdin. An interview with Lancer Spade Sr., Board director of Yancrow Enterprises, member of the Underground Pepperoni and leader of the Darkner Party, on whether the Underground should have even more government workers. 20% of the Underground already worked in some sort of government position. Heck, there are only a dozen or so monsters at any moment with unwilling unemployment and around a thousand or two positions that required immediate filling. Magic-powered machines already held a largish percentage of the job market, my own Boss being one of them. And talking about Ulxur, I realized Mettaton was scrutinizing me, his gloved hand on where a chin should be and electronic brow (or what I thought would be a brow) raised questioningly.

"New look?"- He asked, I nodded, my face emulating his own sans hand. "Well, good for you. I guess you are now more down to earth than ever." He mentioned with a wink as he rolled away. "Cheryl, do you have my coffee?"

"You don't even drink coffee, sir."

"It's for the looks!"

It took me a second to realize Mettaton's admittedly horrible joke, which made me simply facepalm to hide a stupid grin. Sans was a corruption wherever he went! After repressing my witless smile I grasped my bag, jumped onto the cool tile floor and walked towards the break room, set for the forthcoming day.

 **-*Division*-**

There are times when you realize that you realize you cannot escape fate, not even amidst a relatively technologically advanced utopia where moving around stuff within your brain through machines is routine. This harsh reality befell upon me when during a checkup: The doctor told me I was essentially skin and bones.

"But sir!"- I complained -"I eat like a froggit whose guts have been ripped open, stars, I even eat as much as Asriel Dreemurr!"

"Yes Frisk,"- continued the now annoyed amphibian. "But even if all the COCA tests we have run indicate you are healthier than a bull, your metabolism runs like mad. Gog, had you run on Magic instead of Chemical energy, we would clone you a thousand times and hook you all up to the Magic Web! Then we would not need The CORE! Anyways, if you somehow fall down, you don't have the "backup meat" to support yourself for long. It's imperative you increase your weight."

"But how? Should I eat twice what I do?"

"No, no, no. We don't want the Underground to run out of food! Plus, too much food ain't healthy for you. Tell me, when was the last time you exercised?"

"Well… I try to stroll through the park at least twice a week…"

"That's it! You need some heavyweight training!" He continued. "Wait," He took out a small notebook scribbled something on it, ripped the paper and handed it to me. "Doctors Orders! You need to train here at least an hour, five times per week!"

"Wait, what?!"

He took back the paper, scribbled on it and handed it back. "Six times!"

"Wh-"

"Would you like to train every day?"

"No! I mean- Fine." I grabbed the paper.

Patient: Frisk Vitet-Mors, 16.

Treatment: Training at Waterfall's Gymnasium of Bodybuilding and Strife.

One hour a day minimum, Five Six days per week.

Your Dear Croaker: Percival Nobofritz, Monsters Degree in Physiology, Underground Learning System.

Medical Ministry of the Underground Nation, Section New Home.

"Wait… why does it have to be in Waterfall?"

"Give me that bloody paper!"

"Nope, nope, nope."- And I rushed off.

Later that day, I showed the note to Asriel, and a minute later, holding his stomach and tears pouring out, he wheezed. "Of all the freaking Doctors at the Medic, you had to get Percival!" He wiped his tears with his hand and attempted to hold back yet another mad guffaw.

"What do you mean?"

"Everyone knows he's a total nutcase! Don't get me wrong, he's an excellent Doctor- One of the best in the Underground. But that doesn't mean he's not a big wacko. Just tell my Dad- Wait! Better not, don't even show him that note! I don't want to live fatherless."

"Welp, lucky me, I guess then?"

"Hey, at least you didn't have to drink Grass tea for a month just because of indigestion!"- He then saw my eyes widen almost to the point had they been a little more open, they would definitely have rolled off my skull. "Eh," He shrugged "It doesn't taste bad."

"Well, you have the acquired taste. Wasn't it that sharp-smelling emerald tea?"

"True, true. And yes."

I then pointed to a hologram on his workstation. "So, what's that you are working on?"

His eyes suddenly became crimson lightsones. "Oh, that? That's the organic computer Luke and I have been working on, it should help with an AI's personalities. Right now we are finishing this up so we can move to." He shuddered. "Soul containers."

"Huh? I thought Mettaton was a machine? Stars, he's probably the creature with most personality in the whole underground!"

"Frisk, I thought you already knew this. Mettaton is a monster."

"What."

"48 years ago, they found out Mettaton is actually a Ghost Monster fit in biomechanical body by the illustrious Dr. W.D Gaster nee Serif."

"You mean that scientist that disappeared over a year ago?"

"Exactly. Mettaton was at the time a rising star, but also the stepping stone through which Moustacho climbed to fame."

"Wow." I stared at him in disbelief. "Well, that's unexpected, to be honest with you."

"Frisk, Asriel," peeked in Asgore. "I'm putting on some tea, would you like some?"

"Yes please." Asriel and I answered in unison, Asgore's face morphed into a myriad of emotions that I could not quite identify before going out, not without me noticing a slight smirk and a quiet chuckle.

"Oh my gog, Asriel," I whispered to him awkwardly. "I think your Dad ships us."

I could have sworn he would have broken his neck had he turned his head just a little faster, his eyes broad, his muzzle just open, it was a face of pure, sheer horror. Not horror. But.. bewilderment? panic? From his mouth a single word, high-pitched and half bleated.

"Nani?!"

And as much as I hate to say this, I most probably felt the same way he did.

There are times when you realize that you realize you cannot escape fate, not even amidst a relatively technologically advanced utopia where moving around stuff within your brain through machines is routine. This harsh reality befell upon me when countless notifications flooded my phone the day after the consult, exactly at the moment I stepped off work, reminding me of that Madmon's indications. Not even turning off the darn thing would make it quiet down. And if that was not enough, finding bantam colorful sticky notes on your Triple T lite, all saying "Reminder: Training at Waterfall's Gymnasium of Bodybuilding and Strife. One hour a day minimum, Five Six days per week. Complete ASAP." is undoubtedly not a pleasant experience, especially when you and your cowplant are on the borderline of devouring each other. I gave up.

And thus, I find myself in front of this "Gymnasium of Bodybuilding and Strife", fortunately in one piece. The bare steel-clad front scarred the indigo stone. Ridges, lines, glass and steel, it would have been more fitting in Hotland than on the outskirts of a largish town. I stepped in and treated in towards the register. It's not like the inside was a clash with the buildings' outdoor appearance. The floor looked as if somebody had taken a pile of rust, thrown it into concrete and then poured it over, and I say concrete since it felt like the smooth, grippy texture of concrete. The walls were naked brick, but not just any brick. It looked as if they had carved out the place on the mountain stone itself, brick by brick, before somebody just... painted the guts to be pewter-like and then were shoved back in. I approached the hare-like monster, who seemed to be enthralled in a comic-book.

"Um… excuse me?"

She launched me a stolid glance. "Yes?"

"So, I wanted to start a membership here, what would be the costs related to it."

She closed her comic, threw it in a cabinet, stood up, placed her elbow atop the counter's surface, placed her head on her knuckles and breathed in as if to pronounce a monologue of epic proportions. "Well, there's the-"

"Um, nevermind, I'll just," I grabbed one of the brochures. "Just read one of these."

She stood back up, her mature face seemed... relieved.

"Ok, so… let's see." I thought whilst skimming through the manual. "'This year I finally get my shape plan.' Let's see, one-year membership… full access to a spa, that's nice. Fight club, all perks, complimentary Beregmela shakes… Mhm… 6000 G?! Ouch. Let's see other plans- nevermind, they are worse. Hmm… Crap, I'm definitely using this thing then."

"I'm taking this plan."

"Ok." She whipped out a hoverscreen from a cabinet, and with professional accuracy pinned in codes and numbers alien to myself. Her face stayed frozen in a schizoid neutrality to the point it made me wonder if she was a machine. Not that there would be anything with that, stars, sometimes it's a gush of fresh air when store clerks are as if about to jump at you with honeyed words, but her demeanor was downright bizarre. "Place your phone here," She motioned at her desk.

And thus, with 6000 G leeched from my bank account, I found myself climbing up some escalator-looking machine, the innards of the gym were not dissimilar from the lobby, but boy isn't it huge. Not quite reaching the cliche of "as far as you can see", but each floor as large as a house. And I do mean floor, this bloody place gym has 4 floors! Right now I trained on the base floor, where the lobby, bar, and machine room were, further down were the sports rooms, the activities room, where they practiced Yoga and light knows what else, and of course, the Spa upon the bottom. Clad in Yoga pants and a tank-top, I honestly began to have some near-religious admiration towards Toriel and Asgore as I motioned this machine. How much time and dedication did it take them to get the shape of a God?! Half an hour in one of the lowest settings and my determination faltered. I had cracked fiery stumps as legs! Or well, that is how it felt.

1 Hour. Six times per week.

Wretched Toad, he was conspiring to kill me!

I stood up from my chair and attempted to do a step, something I succeeded at even though it felt as if someone was poking a thousand white-hot needles into my skin. It truly was a searing pain. I finally was able to get to the abdominal crunch, a piece of equipment that looked more like a torture device instead of a chair that would help me get a nice six-pack. Half an hour later… I was... surprisingly comfortable. At half a froggit (15 lbs) I was doing about a sixth of my weight, and even if my back and stomach were slightly numb, it was definitely not as terrible as with that bloody escalator. Stars, I even thought of buying a good pair of headphones to complement this!

Another 10 minutes, and after a light chat with the gym trainer (a clam-like monster who gave me workout tips), I decided to go down and check out the activities room, of course, after getting a nice Ghostfruit Smoothie (which supposedly helps to ease the pain.)

In my state, I dared not to take the stairs, although fortune blessed me with an elevator in the building. Two floors lower through this god-sent contraption I reached the activity room. Simply stated, if the base floor was the size of a largish house, this place was the size of a block! And of great height, none-the-less! Through and through, able-bodied Monsters conditioned their minds and bodies through a multifold of ways. Dancing, meditating, strifing, parkouring, summoning, contouring, beheading mannequins- Wait. That latter was none other than Akha Undyne, Marshall General of the Underground and to that moment the being with the maddest grin I had yet seen. Her arms and legs a baby blue flurry that hacked pieces off her metal opponent. Her ruby hair like a bloodlusted bird attacking a prey far beyond its size. Gog, she was an astonishing fighter!

I approached her booth, fitted with what seemed to be Undyne-proofGlass™ v997. Clad in a black tank top, shorts and some sports shoes, her lean figure flowed as if she was in her natural element. I guess her good eye caught a glance of me, as she seemed to press a button on her watch which deactivated the hard-light constructs of her booth. She launched me a toothy grin and strode towards me.

"What did you think Kid"- General Undyne typically wore a patch on her left eye, this time, however, both her good eye and the pierced one stared at me. It was said she lost it back when she was with her tribe at D'ul Inar Island down by Brinake. Both her eyes were these bright fluorescent spheres, with these deep emerald pupils. It was intimidating to look at her at the eye, she might be smiling and all, but… it seemed as if she was analyzing me. The droopy pupil that pooled that slanted hole in her eye was far less unsettling than that of the other eye. That was the eye of an apex predator.

"Your fighting style's quite intriguing, to be honest."

"Fuhuhuhu! Thank you! So, you finally decided to get fit?"

"Eh… no. Percival sent me."

"Nobofritz?!" She asked incredulously. I nodded.

"Pffft- FUFUFHUHUHUHUHU! OH MY GOG YOU MET THAT ABSOLUTE NUTCASE! FUHUHUHUHU!"

It seemed that Croaker (Dammit sans!) indeed had a rather infamous reputation throughout the Underground. Undyne's hearty cackles filled the room, the monsters simply glanced at us, those close enough to us to have heard my… predicament hid their faces in a silent snicker. Her laughs began to die down, and she looked towards me as she cleaned a tear that poured from her good eye.

"Such's your luck then!"

"Yup."

"First bi-yearly check-up here in the underground?" I nodded. "And you had to get Nobofritz?!"

"Yup."

She chuckled and wiped her sweat with her hand. "Well then. So you came down here to get fighting skills?"

"Eh…?" I gave her a confused glance, my right foot began to fidget by itself, it was balancing on its big toe. "Uhm… no."

"Why not?" She questioned. "You gotta be prepared for when the machines rise! Fuhuhuhu!"

"Uhm… what?"

"Didn't you know? Alphys showed me her history books! You humans' robots rised against you a hundred years ago! Might happen here too!"

"Uh… what was the name of this book, again?"

"Terminator."

"Oh…" She was referring to a popular manga. "I have never heard of it, though I didn't get much formal education up there anyways-"

"Well, now you know! Better late than never!"

I thought of it for a second. She had a point, as good as the Underground was, there were still crimes done here in the Underground. Just a couple of days ago, a lady from Home was brutally beaten and robbed of her phone. And she was not particularly small, to begin with. I myself was barely more developed than a tween, and had just about as much muscle mass as an anorexic, well, slightly more. But in the end, I was no Toriel Dreemurr. Learning some fighting movements would help me defend myself in case the worst came to happen. And in the end, I would be training just like Percival ordered to, right?

"You know what?" I stated, self-assured. "I'll do it. Where do I sign in."

Now the tribal tattoos on her face were a black splotch of ink that stained the scales of the left part of her face. No, really. It should not have been physically possible to have such a gargantuan smile! She pointed towards a console on the side of the room, an amber hoverscreen that contrasted against the silvery rock.

It was astonishing how many fighting styles existed! Too long a list to even begin to make justice! Although, after analyzing my body composition, it was all settled down to around five fighting styles. Of them all, however, one caught my attention.

Ilirgo Kapoeira.

According to the Screen, it was "A dance-like fighting style that requires utmost flexibility, coordination, and reflexes. Although Hard to master, this is one of the most flexible fighting styles, as it utilizes the user's whole body in order to efficiently be practiced.

Can be combined with weapons."

Can be combined with weapons. For some reason that gave me the tingles. Well, after an EBCC transfer, I guess I became a Kapoirst. A swift synchronization with my phone, and off I went, back home.

The next day I kick-launched the program from my phone, a slight app that synchronized the booth and my phone. Thus, the music that would be streaming towards my headphones would dictate the movements of my strifer. Well, at first.

For now, Mad Rookie's "Mechanical" would be the prelude to my new training regiment.

"Buy it, use it, break it, fix it, trash it, change it, mail, upgrade it

Charge it, point it, zoom it, press it, snap it, work it, quick erase it

Write it, cut it, paste it, save it, load it, check it, quick rewrite it"

Hit Hit Block parry block hit kick parry block block kick block hit-

Well, that's the idea.

This training became my warming routine every day I came to the gym, by the beginning of the next training week, it already had picked up the pace, the Hologram began to have a mind of its own, sometimes breaking the beat from the more vigorous songs in my collection. By the end of week two, Undyne asked me for a parry. Something I foolishly accepted as I was out of the ring before the tenth second.

 **-*Division*-**

Coming back from the gym that first day, and after a warm shower to help ease my muscles, I sat down on my phone, determined to find a fitting pair of headphones. Swiftly I found myself making a list, as low as 300 G and as high as 1600 G. Stars, those 1600 G pairs were gorgeous! Fluid lines concording in a solid metal headband, oval cups with plush pads. The cups also seemed to even be hovering from the pivot! And most significantly, very well devoid of any fashion Designer's influence. I had seen them in real life, Muffet herself owned a plum-toned pair of these (an object I honestly was not very interested in beyond being a plethoric fashion accessory).

The deal-breaker was that when I read the forums they seemed to be an absolute disappointment for the egregious price they cost. Most of the headphones on my list, although having pages and pages of features and gimmicks, seemed to be next to worthless when it came down to their main function: Play music. Some research later and a pain-throbbing back account from which over 8000 G (or over two weeks worth of Post-Tax income) had been drained from my account, in a day (thank stars essentially everything is rock-cheap within the underground). A pair of headphones sat within my TTT lite.

I was definitely not expecting the headphones size, they were huge! Far larger than the palm of my hand! They had this recessed honeycomb pattern on their cups, with a handsome deep sea blue ring surrounding it. The headband was unorthodox, being metal wires connected to a hinge that surrounded half the cup, and a leather strap hanging amidst them. And the pads, oh so plush! They did not have the clean lines of my first interest, but more of an abstract modernism, I liked it. They were also surprisingly light for how big they were, they felt as if I'd put a heavy pillow around my head.

According to the website, they were "A pair of wideband wireless, Class-A-triode-based R2R electrostatic headphones with an open-backed adaptive Geometry. Fitting for the Audiophile who practices Extreme Sports before a meeting." A bunch of senseless jargon for a pair of headphones, if I were to give an opinion. They supposedly were an updated version of a design by Dr. WingDings Gaster after leaving the board of directors of his company "Maple", and settling in as an audio designer to complement his passion while he worked as the Royal Scientist. Yet again, according to the website.

To be honest, they are just a rather nice pair of cans which I strapped onto my head before realizing I had no music. Yet again I spent another sizable chunk of money on a subscription for the streaming site "Wheezer", and began my search with the top 100 popular songs, they… were not absolutely terrible. And yet, they lacked something. Was I not a music type of person? I remembered something about music streaming options, seconds later and with all settings set to 11, I pressed the next song.

Mad Rooky's "Phoenix's Legend"

(AWW AU version of Daft Punk's "Get Lucky")

I closed my eyes, and my heart skipped a beat. The music… it was just beats, claps, guitar riffs, a little piano in the background… But everything was so full of texture, deep, realistic, resonant emotional...I felt there, in the middle of the performance.

And then the man began to sing.

I found my music.

By sheer serendipity the next day I had on 13 hours of field interviews because of the forthcoming Tour da Naver, in other words, Concert season. And I say serendipitous because I had to be early on location, with only five hours of sleep.

Looking back on that later that day, I debated its worthiness and in the end, thought of it as deserving. My Wheezer playlist was brimful with songs: A whole 130 GBs of music from many artists. The day after my drained interviews I admired my artist list with great satisfaction. There were 600 songs downloaded in pure DSD256 format, whatever that means.

Your Artists' list.

(Watcher's Note: I added the real-world equivalents in parentheses to give you, Reader, a benchmark of Frisk's musical Tastes, in case you were wondering. And no, this is not my personal list, only 3 artists from this list are also in my Spotify Collection, I dare you to find them! ;) )

Allexssandro (Moroder)

Azure Evenings (Green Day)

BQ (NF)

Choim Meroll (Jethro Tull)

Desert Apes (Arctic Monkeys)

Kappuchinnos (Gorillaz)

Karyna Belldelterre (Lindsey Stirling)

Livingstone99 (Deadmau5)

Mad Rooky (Daft Punk)

M.I.D.I (Moby)

New Love (Novo Amore)

Nucleus (Massive Attack)

Pieero Danikiri (Yosi Horikawa)

Squared² (Pentatonix)

Ze Fairies (The Pixies)

I was not a woman of TV, or Movies, or videos (unless they are cat videos), even videogames did not bring me amusement (sans a select few which themselves made my VR console worth its cost). But books and music, they awoke something within me, a warm, heavenly sensation. The music eased my soul, books excited my mind. Those stark hours listening to music and knee-deep into another universe were a blissful paradise that eased any bodily soreness I had upon me.

And thenceforth, my daily training was something I looked forward to every day.

 **-*Division*-**

"Hey Az, would you like a soda?"

"Sure." I passed him some Sparkly Sea Tea. "I heard you sparred with Undyne."

"It was Humiliating."

He chuckled. "I mean, she's one of the best fighters in the Underground, and you have barely begun what, a week ago? How long did you even last?"

"Like ten seconds, and she just stood there laughing at me!" I responded indignantly. I sat a seat away from him, put my feet on the coffee table, opened the Sea Soda™ and gave it a long sip. "To be honest, it was pure luck I made her place herself in a defending position for so long."

"That's… actually quite impressive to be honest, even if she going easy on you. Well," He placed the can between his legs and lifted his arms, motioning his index and middle fingers as to emphasize his next words. " 'hold back'. Because, you know, she doesn't pull back at all. My guess is that those reflexes of yours saved your butt for a second. Not bad at all tho."

"Eh… Could've been worse. Hey, why don't you come up and hang up with the guys one day? Karen keeps asking when you are coming."

"Please don't ask. You know I'm not that type of guy. Stars, you are pretty much the only friend I visit for non-business-related shenanigans!"

"Aww… but-"

"I said no."

"Ok, ok. No pressure." I sipped my soda. "You should come to the Waterfall Gym though, at least to try out the activities room."

"Maybe later. Right now I've got a bunch of projects, and Dad wants me to participate in the Waterfall Runace, so…"

I looked at him questioningly. "Oh, so you are procrastinating?" I teased.

"Uh…"

I chuckled and then attempted to impersonate Mettaton's deep vibrato. "Oh my, the Prince is procrastinating! How scandalous!"

"Oh my stars Frisk! You are hopeless!"

"But my name's Frisk!"

Somewhere in Snowdin, sans suddenly broke from his midday nap, having the strange tingle somebody had cursed his name under their breath. He went back to sleep, after all, it was definitely not a peculiar situation.

"By the way, your cowplant is looking at me with lovey-dovey eyes…"

"He's just hungry." I grabbed our empty cans, threw them in the deregulator, and printed some ham for the plant in question.

"Well, I would be worried if he was not a debbertarmener."

"Don't trust him though, we really don't want to know if he likes his meat with extra fur." I placed Gyros future meal on his bowl.

"I guess you lack the cowardice to not own a Cowplant."

I gasped ironically. "You say I'm too down to earth?"

"Goat to be hornest with you, maybe."

"That's quite thick-skinned for you to say."

"Nah, your defenses are just too puny."

sans woke up again with a skin-deep itch that someone was having a laugh at his expense. He looked up towards Grillby and asked for a bottle of BBQ sauce. Ketchup would not do this time, no, this time he needed a strong sauce to drown the feeling of being roasted.

 **-*Division*-**

I sat on the lounger that rested upon my balcony, above all sights in this sleeping city. How long have I lived here? Has it already been three seasons since I fell down?

I guess this place has been a godsend to me, a serendipitous gift from chance.

Here I sit, essentially naked bar by a towel, the cool zephyrs caress my damp skin, the grass also feels quite nice.

Not in a million lives could I have done this on the surface. That man would definitely have taken his belt and blotch my skin into next primal. Light, I don't know what Mom saw on him, he was not particularly striking when it comes to looks. Sure, he later did become the chief at the department of police. But in the end, he was a sorehead, a curmudgeon, and an absolute religious twit and stick in the mud. Mom said he was going to give us a better life… but I was happy with her. We were not rich, but between the two of us, we were happy. She did her best… she sacrificed in an attempt to go beyond a small apartment… I guess…

Mom… Alana Mors. That blasted man had to crash on you and tarnish your angelic face…

It's curious how even the mere thought of her did not bring tears upon my eyes anymore, nor memory of that man brings a cold sweat upon me. Now, she's a sweet reminiscence, him a most annoying stain on my past.

Hmm, I never thought about how the plastic might get rather cold against bare skin. I rolled my towel and stepped towards my bedroom. My heart was at ease, my mind was crystal, and only the veil of death and the currents of time separated me from having a perfect life. I felt content, once and for all. Draped in silken sheets, I closed my eyes, and let my body loosen up. Tomorrow after work I had to go back to training, maybe meet up with the gang and… do something, if there's time.

But unexpectedly, my peace was broken by the shrill chant of my phone receiving a call. I begrudgingly clutched it and, without opening my eyes, answered.

"Frisk here, what's up?"

"Frisk? It's me, Chara. There's… some stuff happening. A child fell down, she's in shock. We are here with Dr. Doge to attempt to help her break out of it, but she's just… trembling there. Her eyes, Frisk. Even I make her cower. Could you please come over and see if you can help her snap off it?"

I jumped and rushed to my drawers to grab some undergarments. I was now definitely awake, I sent a command for the EBCC to make me a cup of strong coffee to prevent my mind from clouding. This was definitely significant when I heard his voice I knew something big had definitely gone down.

"On it."

I ended the call. Bra, Top, Pants, Keys, Bag, Coffee, and I made haste towards River Person.

 **Toby: We now need to talk about your procrastination.**

 **Watcher: … No.**

 **Toby: Yes.**

 **Watcher: N-**

 **Toby: It's been five months since the last chapter. Five months. That's almost half a year, what's wrong with you?**

 **Watcher: It… It's… It's my new series Pentajonnhy's shallow adventures in Sane land! Now on Wattpad! :D**

 **Toby: Oh Gog, this is a shameless advertisement! You need to cut off your slack or else your mother's disappointment in you will be immeasurable and her day will be ruined.**

 **Watcher: … OK.**

 **Questions? Comments? I'm here to answer! :D**

 **Anything helps!**


End file.
